Dentons announced today the addition on July 27 of Jeff Hamling as Senior Managing Director, and James Richardson as Managing Director, in the Firm’s bi-partisan government affairs practice. Both will join following the addition of former Speaker of the US House of Representatives Newt Gingrich, in June.

Jeff Hamling has most recently served as the Vice President of State and Federal Affairs for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the former Deputy Chief of Staff to US Congressman Tom Price (R-GA).

James Richardson is a strategic communication and public affairs professionals with broad experience as an advisor for national Republican candidates and office holders, such as former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and Presidential candidate and former Governor of Utah John Huntsman. Most recently, Richardson served as Vice President of Public Affairs for a digital and online communications firm.

“Jeff has a track record of proven success as a lobbyist at the State Capitol and with the Georgia US Congressional delegation,” said Eric Tanenblatt, Co-practice Leader of Dentons US Public Policy and Regulation practice. “He has expertise on business related issues, such as tax, healthcare and transportation policies, which will bring great value to our clients. James has a great reputation around the country as an effective strategic communicator on complex issues.”

Dentons US LLP recently completed a merger with McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP. The merger gives clients inside the US unrivaled access to markets around the country and the world.

Hamling and Richardson are the newest additions to the well-known and politically connected Dentons US Government Affairs practice in Georgia that already includes Gordon Giffin, former Ambassador to Canada; Thurbert Baker, former Georgia Attorney General; and Mark Burkhalter, former Georgia Speaker of the House of Representatives. Other team members include:

• Eric Tanenblatt, Co-practice Leader of Dentons’ Public Policy and Regulation practice, who served in the Administrations of Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, Chief of Staff to Governor Sonny Perdue, Advisor and National Finance Co-Chair for Governor Mitt Romney 2012 Presidential Campaign, and senior advisor to former US Senator Paul Coverdell.
• Keith Mason, Chief of Staff to Governor Zell Miller and Deputy Director for Intergovernmental Affairs for President Bill Clinton.
• Randy Evans, outside counsel to the Speakers of the 104th-109th Congresses of the United States. In 2011 he was appointed by Governor Nathan Deal to co-chair the Georgia Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC).
• Buddy Darden, former member of the United States Congress.
• Stefan Passantino, recognized as one of the leading political law attorneys, and served as national counsel to two former Speakers of the United States House of Representatives.
• Billy Linville, an aide to Mayor Shirley Franklin and Governor Roy Barnes, and Vice President of Public Affairs for AT&T.
• Steve Labovitz, a public-private partnership expert and former Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Atlanta.
• Sharon Gay, a former vice president for governmental affairs at the Atlanta Metro Chamber of Commerce and Deputy Chief of Staff and Executive Counsel for the Mayor of Atlanta.
• Ben Vinson, former counsel to the Georgia House Majority Caucus.
• Lem Ward, an attorney for the City of Atlanta for nearly 20 years, serving most recently as chief counsel.
• Dan Baskerville, former lobbyist for the Fulton County Board of Commissioners and policy analyst for the Department of Environmental Protection.

“Business leaders and many elected officials understand that we are now firmly entrenched in a global economy where policy changes in a marketplace thousands of miles away can have a direct and sometimes immediate impact on our local economy here in Atlanta” said Gordon Griffin, chair of the Firm’s US Public Policy and Regulation practice. “Likewise, marketplaces that were out of reach to us just a few years ago are today readily within our grasp. Having professionals like Jeff and James with expertise that reflects this new reality is exactly what our clients are looking for.”