founding PARTNER

Jim Barker

Jim Barker represents leading municipal governments, colleges and universities, and corporations in developing and implementing federal policy and federal funding strategies.

His work has been recognized in the US Senate where he was named Technology Staffer of the Year by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), a premier trade group and by numerous media outlets.

Infrastructure and appropriations issues are a key part of Jim’s practice and his clients include the Utah Transit Authority where he has helped guide the agency in receiving billions in federal funds for infrastructure development.

His client list also includes Park City, Utah and the Wasatch Front Regional Council (Utah’s largest Metropolitan Planning Organization). He also currently represents Sonic Healthcare USA, which is the third largest clinical lab company in the United States, and the Beach Cities Health District. Previously, Jim also represented ARUP Laboratories, a division of the University of Utah, a leading national reference laboratory in the United States.

Jim has also represented some of the largest water districts in the country, including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (20 million water users) and the Municipal Water District of Orange County, California (3.2 million water users).  He currently represents the South Coast Water District located in the coastal areas of south Orange County, California and the Covington Water District in Washington State.

Jim has also represented Fannie Mae, the largest secondary market mortgage financial services company and the prestigious Business Software Alliance, a group of technology companies including Microsoft, Adobe, IBM and other premier tech companies. He has also represented the Utah Winter Olympic Games Organization as well as other prominent local governments. 

Jim earned his Juris Doctorate from Pepperdine University School of Law and is an active member of the Washington, D.C. Bar Association.

principal/Partner

Ryan Leavitt

Ryan represents various clients before Congress and Executive Branch agencies. His work largely focuses on advising on and advocacy related to infrastructure, appropriations, public policy, and federal funding strategies. His current client list includes units of local or regional government, including municipalities, metropolitan planning organizations, transit, water, and health districts. He also represents private sector companies in the cybersecurity technology and healthcare sectors. In 2023, Ryan was named by the “The Hill” newspaper as a “Top Lobbyist” for the results he delivered for his clients in the nation’s capital. 

Having served in senior policy positions advising several key Members in both the US Senate and the US House of Representatives, Ryan Leavitt brings a decade of Capitol Hill experience to Barker Leavitt. Before joining the firm as a partner, Ryan served as a Senate Judiciary Committee Counsel, a Senate Legislative Director, as a Deputy Chief of Staff, and in other senior positions in the US Senate and the House of Representatives. While serving as Council to the President Pro Tempore of the US Senate, he developed a keen understanding of Senate Floor procedure and developed an excellent working knowledge of the US Senate.  In addition to Ryan’s policy expertise, he is an expert in the legislative process, floor procedure, and legislative strategy.

As Ryan earned his Juris Doctor from George Mason University School Law, he clerked for the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights.

Ryan is an active member of the Washington, DC Bar and US Supreme Court Bar.

Administrative Assistant

Alia Cardwell

After serving on Capitol Hill as an Executive Assistant for a Member of Congress, Alia joined the firm in 2007 as a Legislative Assistant. In that capacity, she provided legislative research, as well as performed administrative and communication duties at the firm until her departure in 2017.

After several years working and living abroad, Alia Cardwell returned to Barker Leavitt in 2023 as an Administrative Assistant. She brings more than a decade of organizational expertise to the firm.

She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah and a master’s degree from George Mason University.

policy analyst

Ally Stolworthy

Prior to joining Barker Leavitt, Ally interned in the United States Senate where she gained experience in policy focused on healthcare, education, labor, and foreign relations. Before her time on the Hill, Ally served as the State Finance Director for a successful U.S. Senate Campaign, a Development Specialist for a policy non-profit, The Policy Project, and through her university, conducted extensive political research regarding women running for office internationally and at the state-level.

Ally earned her bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in Political Science, where she served as President of BYU Women in Politics.