Christopher Kuczynski Named U.S. Access Board’s General Counsel

Christopher Kuczynski has been appointed General Counsel for the U.S. Access Board. He succeeds Gretchen Jacobs who retired at the end of 2021. In this role, Kuczynski will guide the Board’s legal affairs and lead enforcement efforts under the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA). The Board’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal expertise and counsel to the Board and staff regarding the work and operations of the agency, including matters related to Board jurisdiction or authorities and the legal sufficiency of agency regulatory initiatives. OGC also manages the agency’s ethics, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and privacy programs and oversees the Board’s ABA Compliance and Enforcement program.   

“I am excited that Chris will be taking on this position in the agency. He brings extensive knowledge and experience of the law and policy to the job, which will have a great impact in accomplishing our mission” said Executive Director Sachin Pavithran. 

Kuczynski has been with the Board since 2019 when he served as its Deputy General Counsel. In this role, he worked with the Office of Technical and Information Services and other agency attorneys to develop guidelines concerning access to facilities, transportation, and information and communication technology for people with disabilities; reviewed internal policies for legal sufficiency; handled ethics, privacy, and Freedom of Information Act matters; and oversaw the agency’s ABA compliance program.  

Prior to joining the Board, Kuczynski served for over 20 years as Assistant Legal Counsel at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, overseeing development of regulations and guidance interpreting Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Before that, as a trial attorney for the Department of Justice, he helped to enforce the ADA’s requirements concerning access to state and local government facilities and places of public accommodation. Kuczynski earned a B.A. in English from Villanova University, a J.D. from Temple Law School, and an LL.M. from Yale University.