Orrick Public Policy Podcast #27 – A Conversation with the Delaware Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend

In our latest episode, Public Policy Podcast hosts Jon Mandel and Scott Ward spoke with the Delaware Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend about the state’s $800 million budget surplus, marijuana legalization, and legislative highlights such as the Healthy Delaware Families Act, which advances family/medical leave policy.

Episode 27 Guest: Delaware Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend

Sen. Bryan Townsend represents the 11th Senate District, which covers the Greater Newark area and Bear from Del. 72 east to Route 7, and Old Newark Road south to U.S. 40.

Bryan is the son of a retired Newark police officer and a retired public school teacher. He graduated from Glasgow High School in 1999 before attending the University of Delaware (economics/philosophy/biology), the University of Cambridge (Chinese studies), and Yale Law School.

After law school, Bryan returned to Delaware to clerk for Chancellor William Chandler III of the Delaware Court of Chancery. He then became an attorney focused on Delaware corporate litigation, and has represented Delaware businesses of all sizes, as well as children in foster care, victims of domestic violence, and a veteran with service-related disabilities.

Bryan was first elected to the Delaware Senate in 2012. The Senate Democratic Caucus elected him Majority Whip in 2018 and Majority Leader in 2020.

He currently chairs the Senate Housing Committee and serves as vice chair of the Senate Executive Committee. Bryan is also a member of the Senate Agriculture, Education, Judiciary, and Rules & Ethics committees. He previously chaired the Health & Social Services Committee and Banking & Business Committee and served on the Capital Improvement Committee (Bond Bill).

Bryan has volunteered with the Christiana Volunteer Fire Co., Special Olympics Delaware, the Food Bank of Delaware, and Big Brothers Big Sisters Delaware.

Bryan and his wife Lilianna, a fellow attorney and a first-generation Vietnamese American, are proud parents of two young, spirited sons Logan and Landon.