John Merrigan has extensive legal and political experience. He has played a leading role in building one of the nation's premier federal law practices, formulating and executing successful strategies to advance or protect clients' interests. Mr. Merrigan is a member of DLA Piper's firmwide Policy Committee.

Mr. Merrigan serves as co-chair of DLA Piper's Federal Law and Policy practice group, which consists of over 40 lawyers and professionals seasoned in governmental practice and is ranked consistently by leading publications in the top tier among federal law firms. DLA Piper's federal law and policy clients include numerous Fortune 100 corporations, various domestic and foreign governments, and other entities.

In 1973, Mr. Merrigan began practicing law at Verner Liipfert. With Berl Bernhard and Harry McPherson, he founded Verner Liipfert's federal affairs practice. For 30 years he helped to build the group and attract top lawyers and government professionals into the firm, eventually developing what Fortune magazine, The National Journal, and other leading publications described as the leading federal affairs firm in the nation's capital. Among the government figures who eventually joined the firm were former Majority Leaders George Mitchell and Bob Dole, former Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen, former Senator Dan Coats and former Governors Ann Richards, Jim Blanchard, and John Waihee. A cover article in The National Journal labeled the Verner Liipfert federal affairs group "the dream team." As practice group chair, Mr. Merrigan played a pivotal role in building and managing the firm's practice.

Mr. Merrigan was among the members of the former Verner Liipfert who joined DLA Piper in 2002. Clients look to Mr. Merrigan for strategic planning which draws on DLA Piper's deep global experience and knowledge base and integrates DLA Piper's capabilities in the legislative, regulatory, judicial and political arenas.

Mr. Merrigan also has led the way in integrating DLA Piper's governmental capabilities with DLA Piper's nationally recognized transactional and litigation practices, with extensive experience representing clients in congressional and related investigations.

Mr. Merrigan also participates actively in a variety of capacities within the National Democratic Party. From 1996 until 2000, he served as chairman of the Democratic Business Council, the leading forum for business interests within the Democratic National Party. From 2002 through 2004 he served as Middle Atlantic Finance chairman in the Kerry for President Campaign.

The respected publication Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business has repeatedly identified Mr. Merrigan as one of the nation's leading practitioners in the field of government relations and has called him a "deeply respected" practitioner, "an extremely smart, strong and likeable attorney" whose clients praise his "wonderfully collaborative approach and his focus on his clients' objectives," and "a veteran government relations practitioner lauded by peers for his rich experience."

Mr. Merrigan has served on the board of advisors for the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management and on the board of Children Uniting Nations, a foundation which fosters mentoring among inner city children.

In addition, Mr. Merrigan is consistently listed by Legal Times among Washington's Super Lawyers, Washington, DC's Best Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America.