Find Lawyers in Birmingham, Alabama for Government Relations Practice
Practice Area Overview
The primary roles of the public policy and government relations practitioner are education and advocacy. Unlike more traditional lawyer roles, the advocacy of the public policy and government relations practitioner spans many congressional offices and various executive branch agencies, and/or their state counterparts. Public policy and government relations practitioners air issues before members of Congress and their staffs, as well as other legislative bodies and executive agencies that may have an interest in a particular piece of legislation or regulation. They ensure their clients’ grievances are heard and advocate on their clients’ behalf to modify or stop laws or regulations that adversely affect them.
Given the differing interests of the two houses of Congress, as well as those found in other lawmaking bodies in the federal, state and local levels, finding common ground that addresses all of the various issues raised is one of the biggest challenges. The successful practitioner is able to work with clients to express to the relevant governing bodies the consequences of a particular course of action in clear, concise and understandable terms. This is often accomplished by educating the applicable branch of government, either through meetings, the submission of written comments or some combination of these efforts.
Hon. Thomas M. Reynolds, Senior Strategic Policy Advisor
Douglas Dziak, Counsel
Sally Vastola, Strategic Policy Advisor
M. STANFORD BLANTON serves on the Firm’s Executive Committee and is a member of the Energy Practice Group. His practice is focused on the representation of the owners, operators and purchasers of electric generating facilities, with special emphasis on nuclear development, regulation and policy. Blanton represents the owner and operator of the first new nuclear reactors ordered in the United States in thirty years on matters ranging from the formation and implementation of contracts for...
Axel Bolvig focuses his practice on construction law and government contracts. He joined Bradley after earning engineering and law degrees from Duke University. He has represented some of the nation’s largest and most successful federal contractors on projects throughout the country. For example, he has handled claims and counseled clients on federal hospital projects in Atlanta, Baltimore, Bay Pines (FL), Birmingham, Cape Coral (FL), Dallas, Detroit, Fort Bragg (NC), Fort Hood (TX), Ne...
George Harris provides comprehensive and strategic legal and policy advice and representation to clients across various industries and sectors. With over 30 years of in-house and law firm experience, George has developed a deep expertise in advocacy before executive and legislative decision makers at all levels of government. He has experience and substantive knowledge working with business and commercial matters, government contracting issues, public entities, municipal utilities, healthcare...
Brad Robertson works with clients facing government investigations and litigations, dealing with whistleblower allegations and qui tam actions, and planning compliance programs to prevent these occurrences in the first place. He helps his clients navigate compliance and potential liability under the False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback Statute and FIRREA, in addition to other areas of healthcare fraud and abuse, financial/mortgage fraud, and white collar criminal law. Whether necessitated by an em...
Ryan Robichaux focuses his practice on political law compliance and government relations. He represents businesses, trade associations, political action committees, nonprofits, government contractors, and other individuals and entities that are involved in the political process. Ryan advises clients on federal, state and local lobbying, ethics, campaign finance, and pay-to-play laws, and the establishment and administration of political programs. He also provides a full range of advocacy serv...
David Stewart is the chair of the firm's Governmental Affairs Practice Group. He is also a member of the Economic Development Practice Group. While based in the firm's Birmingham office, he regularly represents clients before the executive and legislative branches in Washington, D.C. and Montgomery, Alabama. He also advises clients on federal and state campaign finance and ethics laws. Following David’s graduation from Washington and Lee, he worked in Washington, DC for Senator Jeff Ses...
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