News
7 Jun 2006
Blanchard to chair DLA Piper's Government Affairs practice
Former Michigan Governor, Congressman and U.S. Ambassador to Canada
Press Release
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Senator George J. Mitchell, Chairman of the Global Board of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP, announced today that Governor James J. Blanchard has been named Chairman of the law firm’s U.S. Government Affairs Practice Group.
Blanchard, the former Michigan Governor and U.S. Ambassador to Canada, will lead one of the most high-profile government affairs teams in Washington, D.C., and across the country. Among its many distinctions, the firm is home to three former Congressional Majority Leaders: Senator Mitchell, the former Senate Majority Leader; Dick Armey, the former House Majority Leader, now a Senior Policy Advisor with the firm; and Dick Gephardt, former House Majority and Minority Leader and Presidential candidate, now a Senior Counsel to the firm.
Consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top practices in the field of government affairs, DLA Piper’s attorneys and other professionals are active in federal and state legislative affairs, regulatory issues, government contracts, international trade, e-commerce and privacy, communications, anti-trust and trade regulation, energy, environment, financial services and a wide range of other issues before the federal government, state governments and internationally. The firm places a special emphasis on U.S.-Canada relations.
“Jim Blanchard is a proven leader who has demonstrated his capabilities in every position he has held,” Mitchell said. “He is uniquely qualified to lead this diverse and highly regarded practice group.”
“We are very excited about the strong leadership and energy that Jim Blanchard will bring to what is already one of the best government affairs teams in the country, helping our clients meet their ever-growing need for effective representation before governments at all levels” said Francis B. Burch, Jr., Joint Chief Executive Officer and a partner in the firm’s Baltimore office, and Lee I. Miller, Joint Chief Executive Officer and a partner in the firm’s Chicago office in a joint statement.
“I am looking forward to the opportunity to help guide this outstanding team of professionals,” Blanchard said. “My bipartisan colleagues at DLA Piper have held senior elected, appointed and staff positions in all branches of the federal government, as well as state and local governments and in the corporate world. With offices in 22 U.S. cities and 22 countries around the world, we have a reach and experience few law firms can match.”
“When we were colleagues in Congress, I was particularly impressed by Jim’s leadership on the Chrysler loan guarantee legislation, which helped to save a great American company and thousands of jobs, and which serves as a success story in public sector-private sector cooperation to strengthen our economy,” Gephardt said.
Blanchard succeeds Thomas F. O’Neil III, who has headed the Government Affairs group for the past three years. O’Neil is seeking more time to devote to building the firm’s highly successful Government Controversies practice, which he chairs.
Before entering the private sector, Blanchard had a long and distinguished career in government, including two terms as governor of Michigan (1983-1991), and three years as U.S. Ambassador to Canada (1993-1996). Blanchard also served four terms as a member of Congress (1975-1983). Prior to his election to Congress, Blanchard was assistant attorney general of Michigan (1969-1974).
One of Blanchard’s signature achievements as Ambassador to Canada was spearheading the U.S.-Canada Aviation Agreement, known as “Open Skies,” which modernized aviation practices between our two nations and demonstrated how international agreements can promote broad economic growth.
Blanchard joined the firm of Verner Liipfert Bernhard McPherson and Hand upon the conclusion of his duties as Ambassador to Canada in April, 1996. Verner Liipfert merged with Piper Rudnick in October 2002.
About DLA Piper Rudnick Gray CaryDLA Piper has 3,100 lawyers and 59 offices in 22 countries throughout the U.S., U.K., continental Europe, Middle East and Asia. It has leading practices in commercial, corporate and finance, human resources, litigation, real estate, regulatory and legislative, and technology, media and communications.
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CONTACTS:
Rosemary Freeman, Media Relations, Government Affairs Practice, DLA Piper, 202.547.1538
Ted Loud, Media Relations, Government Affairs Practice, DLA Piper, 202.861.3955
Laura Miller, Media Relations, GreenTarget Global Group, 312.252.4104