Practice Areas & Industries: Baker & Hostetler LLP

Practice/Industry Group Overview

Through our Washington office, we represent the interest of clients in the legislative process and in regulatory matters. We work on behalf of clients to craft solutions to legislative concerns by both providing input into the process through Congress and its Committees and by working with the executive branches responsible for federal and state policy.

Services Available

Our regulatory practice represents clients in matters involving federal and state antitrust laws, including investigations and litigation conducted by the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general, as well as class actions and other types of private antitrust litigation. We represent clients in advertising, sales and promotional practices and warranty matters, and we are experienced in representing clients in consumer product safety matters, including reporting requirements, recalls and other forms of corrective action.

Our Washington, DC-based policy & lobbying lawyers know the people, processes and protocols in the Executive and Legislative branch and represent clients interests on Capitol Hill with services ranging from advice and representation to working on bills.

Policy

Baker Hostetler represents clients who seek to resolve or avert federal and state policy-related concerns through legislative or administrative action. Our team includes former members of Congress, a former U.S. Ambassador, senior executive branch officials, and state administrators and legislators. We have the knowledge and skill to represent the following types of organizations in their policy and lobbying needs: FORTUNE 500 companies, financial concerns, U.S. multinationals, foreign corporations, agricultural interests, professional sports teams and leagues, trade associations, healthcare providers, educational institutions and other not-for-profit organizations.

Lobbying

In addition to traditional legal advice, we develop solutions that advance clients' interests through the crafting and passage of legislation, advocacy in opposition to legislation or working with administrative agencies on beneficial regulations. Additionally, we represent U.S. multinationals and foreign corporations in responding to international government affairs problems/challenges. This includes conducting high level negotiations and fact gathering in foreign countries.

We complement our legislative and regulatory capabilities by providing comprehensive legal advice on the maze of federal and state campaign finance, lobbying and ethics laws, and advise individuals, political action committees (PACs), corporations and trade associations on conducting appropriate political activities.
We also represent foreign governments in the U.S. and abroad in issues related to trade, security, customs, culture and government relations.

We customize policy and lobbying strategies that reflect our thorough understanding of the complexity of governments in the United States and around the world.

Regulatory

Baker Hostetler lawyers not only guide our clients through the maze of federal and state regulatory agencies and proceedings -- we take an active role in shaping regulatory processes on their behalf. We help our clients respond to investigations and litigation initiated by the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department (including both civil and criminal matters), the Bureau of Competition of the Federal Trade Commission, state attorneys general, and enforcement authorities in the European Commission and other nations.

We have an active practice before the National Labor Relations Board, the National Mediation Board and numerous state public sector employment relations boards. Our firm has a leading federal and state environmental regulatory practice, and takes an active role in the regulatory changes that are reshaping the natural gas industry and other energy industry segments.

We counsel clients throughout audits and investigations conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission and numerous state securities commissions. And we are on the cutting edge of legislative and administrative tax law developments involving policymakers at the IRS, in Congress and at the Treasury Department.

Solution

In today's environment of increased scrutiny of lobbying activities, most corporations with significant legislative interests in Washington should have a Political Action Committee (PAC) to mitigate the risk of noncompliance.

Problem: The Federal Election Commission has recently levied significant fines against companies for relatively common fundraising practices of lobbyists and governmental affairs employees.

Baker Hostetler has a solution.

Solution: To mitigate the risk of noncompliance with federal election laws, most corporations with significant legislative interests in Washington should have a Political Action Committee (PAC).

Increased government scrutiny of corporate compliance with federal election laws make this the right time for companies without a PAC to consider establishing one. Baker Hostetler has significant experience in establishing and operating PACs and would be pleased to discuss this service with you.

Result:

• A PAC provides a mechanism for the support of political interest favorable to a company's position within theguidelines of federal law.
• A PAC is a useful point where the inevitable requests that corporate executives, lobbyists and governmental affairs personnel will receive from political campaign and party organizations for contributions can be directed.

About Our Legislative & Regulatory Team

Our Legislative/Regulatory Team includes lawyers and advisors with decades of experience service in Congress or with various federal agencies and departments. Our team includes some of the most notable lawyers in the areas of government policy, international trade, litigation, employment and labor and tax.

About Baker Hostetler

Baker Hostetler lawyers help clients establish, maintain and protect market-leading positions across the United States and around the world. We offer clients the strength of 600+ lawyers in a full range of practices, a unique geographic platform including both the coasts and the center of the country, a deep knowledge of industry issues and a 90-year track record of excellence and achievement.

For more information about our Legislative & Regulatory practice:

National Leader

Tom McDonald
202-861.1664
mcdonald@bakerlaw.com

Cincinnati

William Appleton
513.929.3403
wappleton@bakerlaw.com

Cleveland

Christopher J. Swift
216.861.7461
cswift@bakerlaw.com

Columbus

Lori A. Herf
614.462.2667
lherf@bakerlaw.com

Costa Mesa

George T. Mooradian
714.966.8800
gmooradian@bakerlaw.com

Denver

Raymond L. Sutton
303.764.4103
rsutton@bakerlaw.com

Houston

Lisa H. Pennington
713.646.1303
lpennington@bakerlaw.com

Los Angeles

John F. Cermak
310.442.8885
jcermak@bakerlaw.com

New York

Paul P. Eyre
212.589.4210
peyre@bakerlaw.com

Orlando

G. Thomas Ball
407.649.4004
tball@bakerlaw.com

Washington, DC

Barry J. Cutler
202.861.1572
bcutler@bakerlaw.com

Kenneth Howard
202.861.1580
khoward@bakerlaw.com