Adam Lioz is Senior Policy Counsel for political participation at LDF, where he works to build an inclusive, multiracial democracy. Adam is an attorney and policy advocate with more than 20 years of experience working to promote political equality, economic opportunity, and racial equity through public education, policy design, direct advocacy, litigation, and electoral campaigns.
Prior to joining LDF, Adam worked with Demos for nearly ten years as Counsel, Senior Counsel, and as the organization’s first Political Director.
On Demos’ Legal Strategies team, Adam focused on litigation to enforce the National Voter Registration Act and end prison-based gerrymandering; policy advocacy to promote political equality and democratic fairness through safeguarding the right to vote and curbing the influence of big money on the political process; and directing the organization’s efforts to transform the Supreme Court’s approach to money in politics.
As Political Director, Adam worked to build and maintain Demos’ relationships and to develop and execute strategy for Demos Action, Demos’ 501(c)4 sister organization.
Prior to joining Demos, Adam worked on environmental issues with PennPIRG (now PennEnvironment) and promoted money in politics reforms and stronger election administration for U.S. PIRG.
Adam has worked extensively in the Pennsylvania State House and U.S. Congress; written or edited more than a dozen reports on environmental and structural democracy issues; and been quoted, published, or featured in leading media outlets such as The New York Times (op-ed Mar. 2002), Washington Post, USA Today, NPR, CNN, CSPAN.
In the spring of 2018, Adam served as an adjunct professor at Berkeley Law where he co-created and co-taught “Where Capitalism Meets Democracy: Federal Election Finance” with former Federal Election Commission Chair Ann Ravel. His relevant publications include two law review articles (Breaking the Vicious Cycle in the Seton Hall Law Review and Limiting the Limits in the Election Law Journal); a chapter called “Raising All of Our Voices for Democracy” in the 2018 book Democracy by the People: Reforming Campaign Finance in America; and several Demos reports on money in politics, including the organization’s seminal statement on the intersection between money in politics and racial equity.
Adam received his J.D. from Yale Law School in 2007 and his B.A. from Duke University in 1998. He is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania (inactive) and Washington, DC.
