What goes on in government plays an increasingly critical role in the day-to-day functions and long term planning of New England businesses. Securing funding, navigating changes in the regulatory process, and clearing legislative hurdles all require a thorough and strategic understanding of complex public policy and the often-tumultuous legislative process. Preti Flaherty's Government Affairs Practice Group provides clients with a comprehensive suite of government relations services working closely with elected officials and regulatory decision makers across parties and levels of government to meet our clients' needs. Combining decades of experience, subject matter expertise and the ability to take a regional approach, we remain the go-to group for helping businesses intersect with the public sector.
A Multi-State Government Relations Solution
An extensive team of attorneys and lobbyists in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts brings decades of diverse and bipartisan experience to the task. Clients seeking a regional approach benefit from a coordinated multi-state solution. Members of our team including the well-known Maine lobbyists that make up our Maine Legislative Team, and members of Preti Strategies, a government affairs affiliate based in Boston serving clients in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, come together to work strategically to pursue client goals.
Some problems demand a multifaceted approach. By coordinating across state lines, harnessing the legal experience of the law firm and thinking differently about utilizing communications and public affairs services, our Government Affairs Practice Group saves clients time and money while tackling the toughest challenges.
Our Services
State Government Relations
Our state government relations services include comprehensive advocacy, monitoring and analysis across all areas of state government in Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire. Our team regularly works before the legislature of each state, with executive branch officials and before the entire array of regulatory and administrative agencies, including those responsible for government contracting. While we represent a diverse list of clients from both the private and public sector, we have particular experience in the fields of insurance policy, environmental policy, energy policy, health care policy and construction, among others.
Federal Government Relations
We also maintain a wide-ranging federal practice, both before Congress and before the executive branch. Our attorneys include former employees of the Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Senate committee staffs and maintain an active practice before multiple federal agencies.
Our team is also uniquely qualified to work with members of Congress on a wide range of issues in which our attorneys have focused their practices. We have close relationships with the delegations from the northern New England states, but have worked with elected officials across the country.
Municipal Government Relations
Additionally, we regularly engage with all levels of municipal government and have extensive experience working with administrative officials, local legislative bodies and various boards and commissions. Working alongside our Municipal Law and Finance Group, our team navigates clients through the complicated structure of municipal government, guiding them through the local approval process to keep projects moving forward and providing assistance with zoning applications and appeals, tax issues and various forms of permitting. Often, these matters can involve both state and municipal level government relations and our group is particularly experienced in assisting clients at this juncture.
Administrative and Regulatory Rule Making
When clients turn to us with complex regulatory challenges – often involving a mix of legal and legislative issues – we team up across multiple practice areas to provide progressive counsel and unmatched legal service. When working with government agencies, we leverage our expertise in administrative law to develop a creative approach rather than relying solely on traditional direct lobbying. Serving as a strategic partner from the earliest stages of a project, we can work with clients to develop new ideas, services or products that require regulatory permitting by analyzing the possibilities and challenges at the state, federal and local levels of government.