Government Relations & Lobbying

Overview

Steptoe & Johnson’s Government Relations & Lobbying Team understands the critical intersection of business, government, and public policy in an evolving political landscape. Our team works year-round and around the clock during legislative sessions to address clients’ regulatory and legislative concerns. Our attorneys and lobbyists are experienced at helping clients pass legislation before state agencies and state legislatures that furthers their business interests. Our “people first” approach, open communication with policymakers, and regular follow-up allow us to build trusted relationships between our clients and elected officials in order to create opportunities to resolve business matters legislatively and administratively. This often involves articulating persuasively why legislation is important for the state and industry and how it will impact both.

Our team is results-driven and cost-effective when it comes to handling issues that involve policymakers. We assist clients in advocacy; appropriations bill drafting, monitoring, and lobbying; administrative rulemaking; state government procurement issue management; strategic planning; and communications. We work to address concerns and cover hundreds of bills each legislative session in the following industries:

Broadband
Economic development
Environmental
Financial services
Food and beverage
Fossil fuels development
Gaming
Government procurement
Health care and hospitals
Higher education
Industrial and public safety
Infrastructure
Insurance
K-12 education
Labor
Manufacturing
Medical cannabis
Regulated utilities
Social media
Taxation
Technology and data services
Telecommunications

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Representative Experience

Drafted and successfully lobbied for the passage of a bill authorizing the unitization of interests in horizontal well-drilling units for multiple oil and gas producers
Led the lobbying efforts that resulted in the passage of the Cotenancy Modernization and Majority Protection Act for West Virginia’s largest oil and gas producer
Successfully lobbied for the passage of multiple bills ensuring the fair and equitable valuation of natural resources property for ad valorem taxation
Drafted and successfully lobbied for the passage of a bill to modernize historic preservation tax credit laws for a large-scale mixed-use real estate developer
Drafted and successfully lobbied for the passage of bills enhancing property and sales tax increment financing laws for multiple real estate developers
Advocated for and passed a bill allowing higher education institutions to enter agreements focused on economic development and job creation
Successfully secured multimillion-dollar economic development incentives for a new industrial manufacturing client
Advanced and passed several bills accelerating the build-out of a middle-mile broadband infrastructure development
Negotiated, amended, and secured the passage of significant utility legislation for West Virginia’s regulated utilities
Secured the passage of a bill exempting prescription drug “gold carding” requirements
Secured the passage of a bill addressing professionals authorized to diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for workers’ compensation eligibility
Supported and passed reform legislation on generic prescription drugs for a national health care client
Opposed and successfully stopped state regulatory efforts targeting gaming operations
Successfully lobbied the West Virginia executive branch, culminating in the execution of a multimillion-dollar statewide contract
Facilitated the approval of a supplemental appropriations bill ensuring critical funding for a government agency’s technology vendor
Blocked multiple legislative threats to clients across various industries