Daniel Dew serves as Vice President for External Affairs at Pacific Legal Foundation, where he leads PLF’s efforts to ensure that the principles of liberty prevail not only in courtrooms, but in legislatures, the public square, and the broader battle of ideas.
Daniel oversees a multidisciplinary team spanning policy, coalitions, strategic research, constitutional scholarship, and communications. His work focuses on extending and entrenching the impact of PLF’s litigation victories.
Before joining PLF’s senior leadership, Daniel built and led the foundation’s legal policy program. Under his guidance, PLF became a driving force behind major policy reforms across the country, including efforts to end home equity theft, curb emergency powers, reform judicial bias, and dismantle unconstitutional licensing regimes. His work continues to shape a national blueprint for restoring individual rights and limited government.
Daniel’s commitment to liberty began early in his legal career. He served as a legal fellow at The Buckeye Institute and at The Heritage Foundation’s Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, where he advanced free-market reforms in criminal justice, civil asset forfeiture, and economic liberty. He has testified before state legislatures, advised courts and commissions, and helped policymakers navigate the intersection of principle and practicality.
In addition to his policy leadership, Daniel has served as president of the Columbus, Ohio chapter of the Federalist Society and as chair of the Ohio State Bar Association’s Criminal Justice Committee. He holds a law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Utah State University.
Daniel lives in Northeast Ohio with his wife, Amanda, and their four children. Outside of work, he enjoys cheering on his kids in all their endeavors, lifting heavy things, and remaining loyal to Cleveland sports despite decades of heartbreak.
