Robert "Bobby" Silverstein

Principal

Robert “Bobby” Silverstein, a principal in the firm, has a federal regulatory and legislative practice in the areas of disability, health care, rehabilitation, employment, education, social security, and civil rights.

Mr. Silverstein has over 30 years experience analyzing complex public policy issues and developing comprehensive, innovative, and common-sense legislative and regulatory solutions that meet the divergent needs of multiple stakeholders. Mr. Silverstein gained considerable experience negotiating and drafting bipartisan, consensus legislation while serving in various staff capacities in the US House of Representatives and the US Senate, including serving as staff director and chief counsel for the Subcommittee on Disability Policy of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources (currently the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions). Mr. Silverstein was the behind-the-scenes architect of more than 20 bills enacted into law, including the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act.

Mr. Silverstein has written several peer-reviewed journal articles and more than 75 papers and articles on public policy issues, from a disability perspective. He has presented keynote speeches before national and state organizations and trained leaders and others in more than 40 states regarding various public policy issues and the policymaking process. Mr. Silverstein is the recipient of more than 10 national awards, including the Distinguished Services Award of the President of the United States. From 1997-2000, he served as an Associate Professor of Health Care Sciences, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Mr. Silverstein earned his BS in Economics, cum laude, from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in 1971. He received his JD in 1974 from Georgetown University Law Center. Mr. Silverstein is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and the Virginia Bar.

Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville is a Washington, DC-based law firm that focuses on health care, education and the law of tax-exempt organizations.

Honors & Distinctions

Distinguished Services Award of the President of the United States

News & Publications

Professional Activities

Director, Center for the Study and Advancement of Disability Policy
Staff Director and Chief Counsel, US Senate Subcommittee on Disability Policy chaired by Senator Tom Harkin
Associate Professor of Health Care Sciences, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Associate Professor of Health Services Management and Policy, The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services