Government Affairs and Public Policy

Collaborating with strategic, invested partners who anticipate challenges and opportunities now and down the road is critical to your resiliency and success. We combine political intelligence, sector insights, and a keen understanding of market conditions and risk to deliver solutions that put policy on your side wherever you do business. Working across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, we develop coordinated strategies for engagement with governments, legislatures, regulators and other influential stakeholders.

We treat government affairs as enforcement foresight and litigation prevention, not lobbying alone. We help clients see where policy is heading and where enforcement will follow, shape rules while they are still being written, and engage with authorities early enough to avoid disputes – and to be well placed to win them if they cannot be avoided. The same insight supports transactions and investments, where unresolved regulatory or political issues can determine value, timing and whether a deal closes.

With teams working as one across Washington, Brussels and London, we help clients manage a policy environment that now moves in both directions across the Atlantic and increasingly reaches beyond the EU’s borders, as European rules shape how companies operate in markets around the world. Because our government affairs work sits alongside our lawyers, advice can, where the rules allow, be structured to benefit from legal professional privilege.

Our global team of lawyers and policy advisors features former high-ranking government officials and elected members of Congress, former politicians and trade negotiators who provide actionable insights and political intelligence into what’s happening behind the scenes. This team includes:

• Several long-serving US senators
• Congressmen who served in the House of Representatives
• Ambassadors
• Chiefs of Staff to members of Congress
• Legislative Directors and Counsels
• Policy advisors to Members of Congress
• Officials from Federal agencies
• Former elected representatives, government ministers and senior officials
• Trade negotiators, diplomats and ambassadors
• Former officials of the EU institutions, national governments and regulatory authorities
• Regulatory and disputes lawyers who appear before regulators and courts, including the EU Courts, so that advocacy and enforcement risk are managed together

And with experience building coalitions, negotiating complex trade and policy issues and securing progress across political systems, our team knows how to get things done and can tap into a strong network of policy makers and government contacts to build collaborative and strategic relationships.

At the intersection of law, government and politics, we help companies, government entities, and investors navigate complex and nuanced landscapes. Supported by lawyers across more than 90 offices in over 40 countries, we advise on market entry, highly regulated sectors, national security, cyber threats and multifaceted cross-border regulatory, licensing and approval processes.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND DIGITAL POLICY

AI and automation are changing the way we do business. We can help you understand the risks and opportunities of creating and deploying these game-changing technologies. From compliance with an array of global regulations to ethics and everyday business decisions, our global team has you covered. Our global, cross-functional AI team of 100+ lawyers, data scientists, coders, and policy makers is at the forefront of AI regulations and work closely with government agencies and industry associations to shape emerging rules.  In Europe, we advise on the AI Act, the Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act, GDPR, NIS2 and DORA, and engage with the European Commission, the European Parliament and Member States on implementation, guidance and the Digital Omnibus simplification agenda – where much of the practical detail is still being decided.

APPROPRIATIONS AND PUBLIC FUNDING

We understand how the federal and Congressional budget and appropriations process works. With close ties to policy makers on both sides of the aisle, we assist those seeking federal funding for projects, services and programs in economic development, education, transportation, defense, biomedical and environmental matters. Our experience enables us to assist in securing federal funds through the annual federal budget and appropriations process and through grants awarded competitively by federal agencies. Beyond Washington, we help clients identify and secure public funding in Europe and beyond – from EU programmes and financing (including the next EU budget, Global Gateway and European Investment Bank instruments) to state aid, IPCEIs and national and regional schemes – and advise on how funding rules should shape the structure of a project or organisation from the outset.

CONGRESSIONAL AND PARLIAMENTARY INVESTIGATIONS

Our multi-disciplinary team, which includes former members of Congress, congressional investigators, and congressional staffers, have decades of experience leading every form of inquiry and request at every stage, including the most high-profile congressional investigations. From responding to informal requests for information to handling subpoenas for documents or testimony, we leverage cooperative and bipartisan relationships to navigate these challenging dynamics with a steadfast focus on protecting client rights and business priorities. The same approach applies to parliamentary inquiries and committees, including in the European Parliament and national parliaments, and to the investigations, information requests and inspections of regulators and competition authorities, where political and legal strategy have to move in step.

NATIONAL SECURITY, DEFENCE AND DUAL-USE TECHNOLOGY

Security and defence priorities are reshaping markets on both sides of the Atlantic. We advise clients in aerospace, defence, space and satellite, semiconductors and other emerging technologies on defence readiness and procurement initiatives, public funding, export controls and dual-use rules, foreign investment screening, spectrum and connectivity policy, and the political dynamics that drive them. We combine legal know-how with political insight to help clients secure funding and market access while managing the compliance and reputational risks of working in sensitive sectors.

EU TRADE, INDUSTRIAL POLICY AND LOCAL CONTENT

Trade defence, industrial policy and economic security increasingly determine where and how companies can compete in Europe. We advise manufacturers, importers and investors on anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard measures, steel and other overcapacity measures, the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, the Anti-Coercion Instrument, CBAM, and emerging ‘Made in Europe’ and local-content requirements. We act for complainants and for those targeted, engaging with the European Commission, Member States and the European Parliament while measures are designed, and with the courts when they are applied.

HEALTHCARE AND LIFE SCIENCES POLICY

We bring unmatched legislative experience that includes developing and advancing critical legislation for the lifecycle of 21st century health care delivery – from research and development to approval and coverage of medical products. Our team has driven improvements to national and regional medical preparedness and response systems, all with an eye on understanding and building pathways to address the workforce needs for the future. From in-depth business analysis and strategic planning to legislative and advocacy policy proposals, our multi-disciplinary solutions identify strategic opportunities and reduce potential vulnerabilities. In Europe and across the Atlantic, we advise life sciences companies on EU pharmaceutical legislation reform, engagement with the European Medicines Agency and national authorities, health technology assessment, medicines supply and security, and the interaction of US tariff and pricing measures – such as Section 232 and most-favoured-nation pricing – with EU policy. Where regulatory issues stand in the way of a transaction, we work to resolve them so that deals can proceed.

SUSTAINABILITY, ENERGY AND PRODUCT REGULATION

Sustainability and energy-transition rules are among the most consequential – and most contested – areas of EU law. We advise on corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence rules (CSRD and CS3D) and the simplification agenda now reshaping them, ecodesign, packaging and packaging waste, deforestation and forced labour rules, CBAM, and energy and climate policy. We help clients influence how rules are drafted, interpreted and implemented, and manage the compliance and enforcement exposure that follows – including for non-EU groups that fall within the EU’s reach.

CONSUMER AND REGULATED PRODUCTS

We advise producers of consumer goods, food and beverages and other regulated products on product, packaging, labelling, chemicals and taxation policy. Classification and scope questions under new EU rules can determine a product’s obligations, costs and market access, and we work with clients to obtain early clarity from the authorities and to shape implementing measures and guidance.

POLITICAL LAW

Our political law practice provides comprehensive legal counsel to a diverse range of national and international clients that are active in advocacy and politics at the federal, state, and local levels in the United States and around the world. We offer experienced, practical advice and develop appropriate, effective political law compliance programs designed to ensure that you conduct your lobbying and campaign activities in full compliance with all relevant laws, regulations and best practices. We also offer campaign finance, lobbying, and ethics compliance work as a component of broader projects, such as a significant lobbying campaign or a transaction involving a company or firm active in government affairs. We advise on the EU Transparency Register, the rules governing interest representation in the EU institutions, national lobbying registers and codes of conduct, EU rules on political advertising, and proposed measures on interest representation on behalf of third countries. We design and run multi-jurisdiction transparency and compliance reviews for organisations that engage with government in more than one country.

STATE, REGIONAL AND LOCAL ADVISEMENT

Our trusted team of lawyers and policy advisors advocate for legislation, policies and other initiatives at the state and municipal level. We build and maintain relationships with lawmakers, government officials, and key stakeholders to help steer decision making. With decades of experience, our team works to craft strategies for effective advocacy before state governments, that drive real results. We also provide informed insight into state-level issues by leveraging a broad network of close contacts to keep you informed on the latest developing state issues. EU law is made in Brussels but negotiated, transposed and enforced nationally. We coordinate engagement with the EU institutions with work in national capitals, regions and cities, and with national regulators and parliaments, so that positions are consistent from the Commission to the Member State where decisions take effect.

POLICY INTELLIGENCE AND HORIZON SCANNING

We help clients anticipate political, legislative and regulatory change across key markets. Our support includes horizon scanning, political and policy intelligence, stakeholder mapping and risk assessment, translating emerging developments into practical implications and clear priorities for engagement. We follow files from the Commission’s work programme through negotiations to the delegated and implementing acts, guidelines and standards where the practical detail is often settled and provide regular EU and UK trackers that highlight what matters for each client and by when. We also look beyond adoption to how and where new rules are likely to be enforced, so that clients can prepare before enforcement begins.

GEOPOLITICAL RISK AND ECONOMIC SECURITY

We advise clients on the commercial impact of geopolitical change and evolving economic security policy. Our multidisciplinary teams assess risks relating to trade policy, tariffs, foreign investment screening, sanctions, supply chain regulation and resilience, helping clients navigate uncertainty and make informed cross-border decisions. We advise on the interplay between EU, US, UK and Asian measures – from tariff and market-access arrangements and US trade investigations to export controls, investment screening and sanctions – and help clients, including non-EU groups, understand and manage their exposure to the EU’s economic security toolbox.

CRISIS AND REGULATORY RESPONSE

When political or regulatory issues escalate, we bring together government affairs, legal and strategic communications experience to protect clients’ interests. We support crisis planning, investigations readiness, engagement with regulators and policymakers, and coordinated reputational response across jurisdictions. That includes on-site inspections and requests for information, interim measures and challenges before the courts, where we coordinate regulatory engagement, strategic communications and litigation strategy from the outset.

DISPUTES AND STRATEGIC LITIGATION

Policy and disputes are often two sides of the same issue. Working with our disputes lawyers, we advise on strategic litigation before national and EU courts, investment-treaty claims and the enforcement of awards, and the political and diplomatic dimensions of disputes involving governments. We also help clients shape legislative debates that affect their ability to bring or defend claims, including on collective redress and litigation funding. The aim is consistent: resolve issues early, and on the best terms available.

TRANSACTIONS AND INVESTMENTS

Political and regulatory risk can decide the value and timing of a deal. We support investors, sellers and lenders by mapping government affairs risk in due diligence, resolving outstanding issues with regulators and public authorities that could delay or derail a transaction, and engaging on investment screening, merger control and foreign subsidies reviews. We also advise boards and senior leaders on political risk, market entry and major investment decisions.

ADVISING NON-EU COMPANIES, ASSOCIATIONS AND GOVERNMENTS

We help companies, trade associations, embassies and public bodies from Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas understand how the EU takes decisions and engage with it effectively. Our support ranges from market-access and economic security strategy to meetings with the EU institutions and Member State governments, and tailored briefings and training for senior executives and officials.

• Ranked in Government Relations: Federal, Chambers USA 2026
• Ranked in Government Contracts: The Elite, Chambers USA 2026
• Several partners and Senior Policy Advisors are recognized and ranked by Chambers and The National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics (NILE)
• Ranked band 1 in Regulatory: Government & Public Affairs, Chambers 2026 Europe-wide
• Ranked band 1 in Parliamentary & Public Affairs: Public Affairs, Chambers 2027 UK-wide
• Members of the Government Affairs and Public Policy practice are ranked by The Hill as “Top Lobbyists”