“I’m glad to welcome Sean back to the RNC, and I’m excited to have him join the team as we move full steam into 2016,” said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. “The RNC is leading the charge to defeat Hillary Clinton and to put a Republican back in the White House, and I'm confident Sean's experience and expertise will be an invaluable asset to our Party this cycle."
 
Cairncross served as the Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel to the National Republican Senatorial Committee for two cycles (2009-2012) under Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), overseeing the NRSC’s day-to-day operations and legal matters, and during which time Republicans picked up 5 seats. Cairncross previously served as Chief Counsel to the Republican National Committee during the 2008 cycle, where he oversaw the RNC’s legal operations including its interactions with the McCain campaign.  Cairncross joined the RNC in 2004, and served two and a half cycles under Chairmen Gillespie, Mehlman, and Duncan. Before that Cairncross worked as a litigation associate at the Washington D.C. offices of Covington & Burling. 
 
Prior to rejoining the RNC, Cairncross was a partner at Holtzman Vogel Josefiak, PLLC, and served as general counsel to VogelHood Research.
 
Cairncross holds a J.D. from NYU School of Law, an M.Phil from Cambridge University, and a B.A., summa cum laude, from American University. Originally from Minnesota, he currently lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife and two children.