| Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy today announced the appointment of Stephen J. Cox as the next Attorney General of Alaska, with the appointment effective Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. Governor Dunleavy highlighted Cox’s broad legal, regulatory, and leadership credentials – noting that Cox served in the first Trump Administration as a senior U.S. Department of Justice official, as a United States Attorney, and as a top lawyer in the private sector.
“Stephen Cox brings a wealth of experience to the Attorney General’s office, and I am confident in his ability to serve Alaskans well,” Governor Dunleavy said. “From his service in the U.S. Department of Justice to his leadership on complex work here in Alaska, Stephen has demonstrated a wide breadth of experience and steadfast dedication to the rule of law.”
“Stephen brings a proven record of service and commitment to Alaska,” Governor Dunleavy added. “I am pleased that he has agreed to continue his public service as Alaska’s Attorney General, and I look forward to working with him to uphold justice and ensure freedom and opportunity for all Alaskans.”
Cox, 48, recently served as Senior Vice President, Chief Legal and Strategy Officer at Bristol Bay Industrial (BBI), an investment platform of Bristol Bay Native Corporation. In that role, he led the company’s legal and strategic initiatives on major utility, energy, and resource projects that benefited BBNC’s Alaska Native shareholders. Earlier in his career, beginning in 2011, Cox was a principal attorney for Apache Corporation’s Alaska operations, focusing on new oil-and-gas ventures and coordinating regulatory efforts in the Cook Inlet region. He is also deeply involved in the Anchorage community: Cox is a parishioner at Holy Family Old Cathedral, a supporter of the Dominican friars of the Western Province through their Mission Alaska outreach ministry, and a member of the founding board of a new classical school in South Anchorage.
“I am honored that Governor Dunleavy has invited me to be a part of the Alaska story,” Cox said. “And I am grateful to the Governor and the people of Alaska for the opportunity to serve. Since 2011, I have been privileged to work on Alaska’s development, and my family and I were blessed with the opportunity to move to Anchorage and make Alaska our home. My wife and I are grateful to be able to foster for our three children the best future Alaska can offer. The Anchorage community, and the entire state have become an inseparable part of our lives. I commit to work tirelessly to uphold the rule of law, protect the rights of all Alaskans, and ensure that our state’s laws are enforced with integrity.”
Cox has also held several high-profile federal roles. In 2020, he was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, serving as the chief federal law enforcement officer for a 43-county region stretching from the Oklahoma and Arkansas borders to the Gulf of America. In that capacity, he led a staff of more than 120 personnel and oversaw the prosecution of all federal crimes and civil cases in the district. During his tenure, Cox launched initiatives addressing violent crime, child exploitation, and drug trafficking, and strengthened efforts to combat money laundering and public corruption. He also advanced enforcement strategies against complex white-collar offenses, including technology-related schemes, while building public-private partnerships to protect seniors and consumers.
Before serving as a U.S. Attorney, Cox was Deputy Associate Attorney General and Chief of Staff in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of the Associate Attorney General in Washington, D.C. In that role, he oversaw numerous litigating divisions and helped direct the Department’s civil and criminal enforcement efforts, with a particular focus on healthcare, financial enforcement, and corporate compliance matters. Cox spearheaded several policy reforms related to regulatory oversight and served as vice-chair of the Department’s interagency working group on corporate enforcement and accountability and as executive director of the DOJ Regulatory Reform Task Force.
Earlier in his career, Cox served on the William H. Webster Commission on the FBI’s counterterrorism and intelligence operations in the wake of the 2009 Fort Hood attack, where he helped review the FBI’s actions and make recommendations for improvement and reform. He also served as a senior advisor to the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the latter part of the Bush Administration. In the private sector, Cox was a senior associate attorney at a multinational law firm in Washington, D.C., focusing on investigations, corporate compliance, and regulatory matters.
Cox began his legal career as a law clerk to Judge J. L. Edmondson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Texas A&M University and graduated summa cum laude with a Juris Doctor from the University of Houston Law Center. He is a member of the Alaska, Texas, and District of Columbia bar associations.
Cox’s background in both federal service and Alaska’s private sector gives him a perspective well-suited to the challenges and opportunities facing the state. In Alaska, the Attorney General uniquely serves as the chief prosecutor with oversight of all district attorneys, acts as general counsel to the Governor and executive branch, and represents the State in civil and criminal matters before federal and state courts. Combined with Alaska’s critical role in energy, national defense, and its growing position in global trade, the office carries both national significance and deep local responsibility.
“The duties are broad, but the role of the Attorney General begins and ends in Alaska and with its people,” Cox said. “It is a privilege to step into this role, and I am committed to serving with fairness and justice.”
Cox and his wife, Cristina, live in Anchorage, where they are raising their three children.
Governor Dunleavy will forward Cox’s name to the Alaska Legislature for confirmation during the 2026 session. |
