Sandler was born in 1953 in Baltimore MD, graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College in 1975 and cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1978. He served as counsel for the 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008 Democratic National Conventions; for the Democratic Governors Association; and through his law firm, for numerous Democratic state party committees and Democratic and progressive advocacy groups, PACs and candidates. During Sandler’s tenure at the DNC, he defended several prominent Democrats and Democratic groups during controversies over alleged improprieties in fundraising and cooperation with 527 groups.