Michael G. Leahy is a practicing attorney with experience in privacy law and legislative drafting, former Secretary of Information Technology for the State of Maryland, and past President of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers. As Maryland's Chief Information Officer and a member of the Governor's Cabinet from 2017 to 2023, he oversaw the state's IT infrastructure, data privacy policy, and cybersecurity posture across all executive branch agencies. He previously served as City Attorney for Annapolis, Maryland. He is the architect of the Fiduciary Commons Framework, built by someone who has both drafted legislation and managed the government technology systems the framework now argues are unconstitutional.
The Fiduciary Commons Framework comprises three foundational model statutes (VIDA, PDTA, and GAAFA) establishing the constitutional architecture for government digital identity, data trusteeship, and algorithmic accountability, along with companion statutes addressing specific policy domains. Elements of the framework have been enacted in Utah, and multi-state engagement is underway through the SEDI Consortium.
Leahy's scholarly work includes four essays published on SSRN ("Digital General Warrants," "Government as Information Trustee," "Completing the Mosaic," and "Data Lakes Are a Choice, Not a Necessity") and a law review article engaging the Supreme Court's 2026 decision in Chatrie v. United States. His practitioner commentary has appeared in StateTech Magazine and in the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). He is a member of Utah's SEDI Legislation Workgroup.
For press inquiries: michael@fiduciarycommons.com. For scholarly correspondence: scholarship@fiduciarycommons.com. For legislative engagement: legislative@fiduciarycommons.com.
