Practice Leader: L. Andrew Zausner
Successful lobbying takes more than a rolodex. Whether your company is looking for an advocate before Congress or federal regulators, you need a firm that can deal with complex political and factual issues and turn its relationships into results.
That firm is Dickstein Shapiro. We don’t just set up meetings with lawmakers, and we don’t just solve problems as they come along. We help companies develop opportunities in Washington, and we make sure our clients see concrete results by combining our powerful access with decades of lobbying experience, substantive expertise, and unbeatable client service.
It starts with our people. Dickstein Shapiro is home to several former high-ranking federal officials, including:
They work hand in hand with experienced professionals who have held senior staff positions in Congress, the White House, federal agencies, and industry associations. Together, they have a wealth of policy experience, including drafting and influencing legislation and working with regulators in areas such as appropriations, energy, the environment, technology, international relations, education, food and drugs, gaming, homeland security, tobacco, trade, and more.
But just as important as who we are and what we know is how we approach our client relationships. We work in small, carefully staffed teams where every member takes a hands-on role from start to finish. Unlike other lobbying shops, we have former members of Congress who aren’t afraid to get in the trenches, register, and lobby directly for our clients. That’s our culture, and it shows in our results.
Along with traditional lobbying, we offer other key services that will help your company do business with the government. Our political law practice, led by former Federal Election Commission Chairman Scott Thomas, will make sure that your company’s government affairs and PAC operations comply with state and federal campaign finance and ethics rules. Our award-winning Government Contracts Practice, meanwhile, will guide you through the maze of government procurement. Dickstein Shapiro is truly ready to handle all of your government and public policy needs.
Congressional Lobbying
There’s a reason The New York Times has called Dickstein Shapiro “a blue-chip lobbying firm.” Over more than two decades, we have played a role in shaping every major piece of legislation affecting the oil, gas, electric, tobacco, and gaming industries. We continue to do cutting-edge work in areas such as cybersecurity, international relations, and education. Our clients can count on the strategic acumen of veteran lawmakers, such as former House Speaker Dennis Hastert. Plus, we provide top-flight legislative drafting services. Simply put, time and time again, we have shown that we know how to write bills that are ready to become laws. In fact, we don’t think you will find better legislative draftsmen anywhere in Washington.
When it comes to Congress, our services go beyond traditional lobbying. We have a dedicated Congressional Investigations Practice that helps companies avoid scrutiny by lawmakers and makes sure they come out unscathed if they are called to testify. As opposed to firms that treat investigations as normal white-collar matters, our practice is led by former committee counsel who know the ins-and-outs of the investigations process.
No matter what your needs before Congress, we have the depth of experience and technical skills to handle them.
Regulatory Lobbying
With the demise of congressional earmarks, lobbying firms across Washington have rushed to beef up their regulatory practices. We didn’t have to. We have handled our clients’ complex regulatory matters for more than 20 years. Whether it’s the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Food & Drug Administration, or any other executive branch agency, we can make your case to government decision makers on the issues that will affect your business.
We have a long history success. Dickstein Shapiro’s lobbying helped restructure the entire electrical utility industry in order to make way for new competition. Our dedicated Homeland Security Practice, one of the few of its kind in Washington, was responsible for drafting the first ever successful SAFETY Act applications for the Department of Homeland Security. We helped bring a $650 million national biodefense lab to the state of Kansas. We regularly help clients extend agency funding for crucial development programs. We have the experience you need and a track record you can count on.
Ethics and Compliance
Whether your company has a long-established Washington presence or is just setting up shop inside the Beltway, staying in compliance with the federal rules governing political activity requires constant vigilance. Dickstein Shapiro’s Political Law Practice, led by former FEC Chairman Scott Thomas, gets companies and associations into compliance and keeps them there. From lobbying disclosures and PAC management to compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act, we handle it all. We’ll do a full audit of your company’s political spending to make sure everything is in order, fix what needs fixing, and keep you abreast of new developments relevant to your operations. Staying compliant is an ever-evolving process. Dickstein Shapiro makes it simpler.
Government Contracts
Dickstein Shapiro’s Government Contracts Practice helps clients win, perform, and protect multibillion-dollar contracts. We work with clients on every step of the process in industries ranging from enterprise software to military trucks. Our Government Contracts team works closely with our lobbyists to continually spot ways to grow your business by shaping public policy. For our work, we’ve been recognized worldwide as one of the premier legal teams for clients looking to do business with the government. The International Legal Alliance Summit, a panel of active general counsel, honored us with its Silver Award for “Best US Public Procurement and Government Relations Law Firm,” and Chambers USA has ranked us as one of the top government contracts practices in the nation, noting that we are “committed to outstanding customer service.”