Holland & Hart attorneys and government affairs professionals assist our clients by actively engaging elected and appointed leaders in the Executive and Legislative arenas at both the federal and state levels. As a firm centered in the Mountain West, and supported by a Washington, D.C., presence, Holland & Hart is well positioned to assist clients in a wide range of legislative, regulatory, and cross-disciplinary matters. Our Governmental Affairs Practice Group is a robust team of dedicated professionals, providing sophisticated client service in dealings with state and federal government agencies, as well as elected officials.

Our professionals have worked for both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill and have served in three different Presidential Administrations. They also have worked as appointed officials in state agencies and have been actively engaged in political campaigns at all levels of government. Members of our Governmental Affairs group have proven records of success as public servants and bring to the practice highly refined advocacy and legal experience. This combination of substantive legal experience and an intricate knowledge of the legislative and administrative processes makes our team well-qualified to help clients assess, develop, and meet their objectives before state and federal government agencies.

Examples of our Executive and Legislative Affairs work include the following:

• Develop comprehensive legislative and public relations strategies including community outreach efforts;
  


• Monitor legislative developments and report on areas of interest to clients;
  


• Draft legislation and testimony as well as issue and position papers;
  


• Testify before legislative committees;
  


• Provide agencies with important legal and technical support for regulations, guidance documents, permitting actions, or other administrative decisions;
  


• Coordinate between key legislative personnel and executive branch officials on cross-disciplinary legal and policy issues;
  


• Establish and coordinate ad hoc coalitions comprised of members representing diverse interest groups;
  


• Arrange meetings with members of Congress, state legislators, and city and county officials as well as with key legislative staff; and
  


• Actively participate in various trade associations to stay on the cutting edge of our clients' legislative and regulatory issues.

Our Team-Based Approach

The attorneys and professionals comprising the Holland & Hart Governmental Affairs team are located throughout the firm's offices: Washington, D.C.; the state capitols of Boise, Carson City, Cheyenne, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Santa Fe; and the key western cities of Billings, Jackson, Reno and Las Vegas. Because the firm is technologically integrated, Holland & Hart brings the experience of many professionals together in a team-based approach to address our clients' challenges. Our Governmental Affairs team works in highly focused areas such as environmental, public lands, natural resources, energy, electricity, water, telecommunications, Indian law, and real estate law. We also work closely with the firm's litigators and business lawyers to provide comprehensive, cross-disciplinary solutions to our clients' complex legal concerns.

Our Track Record

Executive Branch Activities

• Assisted federal agencies in their implementation of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 including provision of information integral to the regulations involving the development of renewable energy sources and reports on energy rights-of-way;
  


• Worked to secure appropriated funding for federal agencies' purchase of federal in-holdings;
  


• Secured federal lease for, and permitting of, a major natural gas power plant on tribal lands in Arizona;
  


• Achieved a record of success in representing clients on tax issues before boards of equalization and state courts, as well as involvement in ongoing revisions to the tax statutes;
  


• Cultivated extensive experience in our multi-state region in permitting issues and representing clients before oil & gas commissions and environmental agencies and councils;
  


• Represented large electric consumers and telecommunications companies before public utility commissions and legislatures in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, New Mexico, Minnesota, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah;
  


• Long-term representation of major energy producers and utilities before State administrative agencies.

• Active participant in Congressional development of a comprehensive climate change legislation;
  


• Worked with a coalition of coal producers, unions, and conservation interests to enact comprehensive reform of the Abandoned Mine Land Program;
  


• Represented major coal and trona (soda ash) producers in successful efforts to enact legislation increasing federal allowable lease acreage;
  


• Drafted, and successfully advocated Congress to enact, legislation directing a federal land exchange in Las Vegas, Nevada;
  


• Testified before the House Resources Committee on behalf of a coalition of agricultural interests on proposed legislation to clarify that CERCLA and EPCRA do not apply to agricultural operations;
  


• Worked with Senate staff and the Base Closure and Realignment Commission staff to secure continued operations of Ellsworth Air Force Base following a Department of Defense proposed closure;
  


• Secured research funding for a state university and records management company;
  


• Authored CERCLA reform legislative provisions;
  


• Helped shape extensive modifications to telecommunications statutes and regulations in Wyoming;
  


• Secured modifications to state water quality standards;
  


• Led a multi-year effort to create a statutory mechanism for resort areas to form a special taxing district;
  


• Expanded acreage available for mining on federal lands;
  


• Authorized and passed timeshare legislation in Nevada on behalf of the timeshare industry;
  


• Participated in the revision of local transient lodging tax ordinances in Nevada;
  


• Represented a major master planned community developer in amendments to the Nevada Common Interest Ownership Act.