According to their website, four Covington & Burling LLP partners have been named to The Ethisphere Institute’s 2009 “Attorneys Who Matter” list, which recognizes leading legal professionals in private practice and at government agencies and major companies who have excelled in and made a significant contribution in the corporate compliance field. In addition, the firm is pleased to note that two of its former partners, Attorney General Eric Holder and Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith, were singled out respectively for excellence among government lawyers and general counsels.

New York partner Alan Vinegrad was placed in the “Top Gun” category for receiving high scores in the majority of the nine criteria used, and for serving as a leader in the outside counsel legal community in assisting corporations in effectively handling corporate compliance issues. Under compliance specialties, Erin Egan was recognized in the Data Privacy/Security category, Ted Garrett was recognized in the Environmental category, and Thomas Johnson was honored in the FCPA category. Egan, Garrett, and Johnson are based in the firm’s Washington office.

In anticipation of the FEC Policies and Procedures hearing slated for January 14, 2009, Charlie Spies from McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP's Political Law practice is offering initial comment and will be available for further comment during and following the hearing.  Mr. Spies offers a unique perspective on election law issues due to his experience working at the Federal Election Commission (as Counsel to Chairman Darryl R. Wold in 1999 and 2000)  as well as serving as Election Law Counsel for the Republican National Committee during the successful Bush-Cheney re-election campaign in 2004 and then General Counsel for the Republican Governors Association working on 38 Governors races in 2005 and 2006.

"Too often with the FEC, the enforcement process has been the punishment, even for Respondents that were ultimately vindicated.  The Commission is to be commended for holding this hearing and taking comment regarding some of the agency's long-standing enforcement procedures," said Charlie Spies.  "The Commission should pay special attention to the comments of practitioners who represent clients participating in campaigns and exercising their constitutionally protected free speech, while at the same time attempting to comply with the cumbersome federal election law statutes and regulations."

Mr. Spies will be attending the hearing at 10:00 AM on Wednesday the 14th and will be available for comment throughout the day at (202) 496-7878.

Matt Towery has returned to the international law firm of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP (MLA) as a member of the firm’s government affairs practice.  Towery, a former state lawmaker, brings nearly three decades of experience in business, law, and government to the firm and will help identify opportunities to connect business interests with public policy initiatives at the federal, state and local levels.  Towery will continue in his role as CEO of InsiderAdvantage/Poll Position, one of the nation’s leading polling and market research companies

“We are especially pleased to welcome Matt back,” said Eric Tanenblatt, head of MLA’s national government affairs practice. “His broad experience as a state legislator, political strategist, pollster and media analyst combined with his legal training will be a real asset to our clients.  His familiarity with our firm and its client base will enable him to hit the ground running.”

“I’ve been fortunate to have many opportunities to impact policy debates, from both inside and outside political circles,” said Towery.  “MLA has such a strong and well-respected team in government affairs.  Returning gives me a nationwide platform to expand my work by assisting the firm’s clients with public policy issues at the intersection of business and government.”

Towery has built a career in and around government and politics.  He served as a state legislator in Georgia from 1993 to 1997, He has authored two books and currently writes a nationally syndicated column for Creators Syndicate.  Matt has also been a political analyst for WSB-TV in Atlanta, the local ABC affiliate.

Towery joins the national team of MLA’s Government affairs practice which includes a number of widely respected attorneys and professionals including Gordon Giffin, former U.S. Ambassador to Canada; former Congressman Buddy Darden, former U.S. Senator and Governor Zell Miller, former Mayor of Indianapolis Steve Goldsmith, Eric Tanenblatt, former Chief of Staff to Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue and senior advisor to the late U.S. Senator Paul Coverdell; former senior Clinton White House officials Marcia Hale and Keith Mason, Joe Dowley, former chief counsel to the House Ways and Means Committee, Cindy Gillespie,  senior counselor to Governor Mitt Romney; Steve Labovitz, former Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Atlanta and Sharon Gay, former deputy chief of staff and executive counsel to the Mayor of Atlanta.

Global law firm Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P. has successfully recruited David Spooner to the firm’s Antitrust, Competition, Trade and Regulatory Practice Group. As assistant secretary of commerce for import administration, Spooner led US trade enforcement efforts from 2005 until this year. He is of counsel at Squire Sanders.

“David brings an unusual combination of hands-on leadership in complex trade matters with an insider’s knowledge of Capitol Hill and the executive branch,” said Barry A. Pupkin,  who heads the practice group, adding, “Spooner has been at the forefront of nearly every major trade policy debate over the past eight years. He has extensive experience working with both sides of the aisle, particularly on matters related to China and on matters that impact the apparel and retail trade.

“Given the significant changes anticipated in US trade relationships under the new administration, David’s comprehensive grasp of trade and supply chain issues will be an invaluable resource for clients whose businesses are affected by international trade,” Pupkin said.

In his role as assistant secretary of commerce for import administration, Spooner led US enforcement of the trade remedy laws, particularly the dumping and antisubsidy laws, supervising hundreds of trade remedy proceedings. His achievements include the first-ever application of the antisubsidy law to China.

Prior to his Senate confirmation as assistant secretary, Spooner was the lead textile and apparel negotiator in the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), where he served as a chief negotiator of free trade agreements with countries in Asia, Central and Latin America, and the Middle East. Spooner also has considerable Capitol Hill experience. He managed the Washington DC office and was legislative director for US Representative Sue Myrick, worked for the House Committee on Rules (which manages House consideration of legislation) and served as communications director for the House Committee on Agriculture.

Spooner will also work with Squire Sanders Public Advocacy, LLC, Squire Sanders’ government relations affiliate. Robert D. Lehman, former chief of staff of the US Office of Management and Budget and the Office of the US Trade Representative, recently was named head of Squire Sanders Public Advocacy, LLC.

“David has been working closely with Congress and senior staffers for two decades, first as a senior aide and then as a top official of USTR and the Commerce Department. His experience further strengthens our growing lobbying practice by bringing another seasoned international trade professional with extensive bipartisan relationships on Capitol Hill and in the business community,” Lehman said.

About Squire Sanders: Founded in 1890, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P. has lawyers in 32 offices and 15 countries around the world. With one of the strongest integrated global platforms and a longstanding one-firm philosophy, Squire Sanders provides seamless legal counsel worldwide. Offices in the Americas are located in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Palo Alto, Phoenix, San Francisco, Tallahassee, Tampa, Tysons Corner, Washington DC, West Palm Beach, Caracas, Rio de Janeiro, Santo Domingo and São Paulo. In Europe, offices are in Bratislava, Brussels, Budapest, Frankfurt, Kyiv, London, Moscow, Prague and Warsaw. In Asia, offices are in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo. Associated firms are in Bucharest, Buenos Aires, Dublin and Santiago.

International commercial real estate services firm Studley announced today that Bailey Law Group, a full-service law firm with a national network, has signed a 10-year 23,146-square-foot lease expansion that will more than triple the size of its DC headquarters at 1615 L Street, NW in Washington, DC.

The law firm decided to lease additional space this year, bringing its total square footage to 32,424, after growing significantly since its move to 1615 L Street, NW in 2005. Bailey Law Group’s office is in the heart of Washington’s Central Business District and is just two blocks from the Farragut North Metro station.

“Our decision to expand reflects our commitment to meeting the needs of our clients as our practice continues to grow within the DC area and nationally,” said Bailey Law Group Principal Kathy Bailey. “Studley helped to secure and negotiate space adjacent to our existing office location, which we found to be a perfect fit for us.”

The expansion space is conveniently located on the south side of the top floor of the building, the same floor on which the firm is currently located. With the expansion space, Bailey Law Group now occupies more than 85 percent of the 13th floor, which boasts tremendous views of the Washington, DC skyline.

Demetri Koutrouvelis, Laurent Myers, Adam Singer and Ryan Nunes of Studley represented Bailey Law Group in the lease transaction. Richard Tonner and Kimball Wood of Cassidy and Pinkard represented the building’s landlord Broadway Partners.

Founded by Kathy Bailey in 1998, Bailey Law Group is a law firm with practice specialties in environmental law, litigation, business and nonprofit law, real estate law, government and regulatory affairs and alcoholic beverage licensing. In addition to its Washington, DC location, Bailey Law Group has offices in Orange County, California and Boulder County, Colorado.

The law firm is in the process of building out its expansion space in Washington, DC and expects to occupy it by May 2009.

A group of law firms in the greater Washington area have joined together to participate in the third year of a community service summer program in conjunction with D.C. Habitat for Humanity called “Buildable Hours.”  The Buildable Hours team of law firms will provide fiscal and physical resources to build a Habitat home in Northeast Washington, D.C.

The Buildable Hours project provides law firms with the opportunity to build upon the volunteer work that many associates and summer associates started at college chapters of Habitat for Humanity.  The team grew this year to 24 participating firms from last years 17 firms.  Buildable Hours partners include major law firms such as:  Latham & Watkins LLP, Caplin & Drysdale, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, Alston & Bird LLP, Baker Botts LLP, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Dickstein Shapiro Morin & Oshinsky LLP, Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP, Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP, McKee Nelson LLP, McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP, Miller & Chevalier Chartered, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, Morrison & Foerster LLP, Patton Boggs LLP, Piper Rudnick LLP, Reed Smith LLP, Ross Dixon & Bell LLP, Shaw Pittman LLP, Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP, Steptoe & Johnson LLP, and Swidler Berlin Shereff Friedman, LLP.  The project has also expanded nationally with new Buildable Hours teams now in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta and Omaha.

Each Buildable Hours partner is making a financial contribution to Habitat for Humanity.  In addition, 13 to 17 attorneys, summer clerks, and staff from each law firm will work on the job site for one day.  Participation will promote team building and give participating firms a unique sense of community involvement.  Last year, the Buildable Hours program contributed financially and physically to the building of a home for Elizabeth Dockery and her 3 sons, DeAngelo, Christopher, and DaQuan.  By partnering with Habitat for Humanity, Buildable Hours partners are able to help provide deserving individuals such as Elizabeth Dockery with a safe, decent place to live and raise their families.

“Buildable Hours provides law firms and summer associates a unique way to relate to each other while making a lasting contribution to the community.  The power of the program was demonstrated to us last summer when we saw summer clerks actually writing checks to Habitat,” said Roger Goldman, Latham & Watkins partner and event organizer.