Global Government Solutions

The recent economic crisis transformed the relationship between business and government around the world. Years of unconstrained markets have given way to significant new levels of government intervention and regulation.

In the United States, the Obama Administration moved aggressively to obtain unprecedented levels of federal funding and to achieve a far-reaching policy agenda. Congress considered and, in some cases, implemented fundamental changes in health care, energy, the environment, financial services, regulation, taxation, and employment law, as well as other areas. Regulatory agencies have pursued vigorous and streamlined enforcement efforts, while adopting new regulations and, in some cases, seeking expanded jurisdiction through legislative changes. State governments throughout the United States enforced consumer protection and other laws, as they struggled with their own financial crises and implemented service cutbacks and tax increases. Economic stimulus measures adopted during the recession are giving way to budget and program cutting to deal with burgeoning deficits.

In Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, governments also undertook economic stimulus measures, pursuing new regulatory regimes and increasing cross-border enforcement efforts.

Every government action creates new winners and losers. There are new opportunities and benefits for those able to identify them. New legislation, funding programs, and regulations may provide valuable and competitive advantages.

There are also threats. Political institutions around the world face great pressure to examine the causes of the crisis and to seek to punish those deemed to have acted improperly. Businesses and business leaders face aggressive regulatory enforcement actions, high-profile legislative investigations and hearings, and new regulatory regimes. These often take place simultaneously, and navigating these waters successfully requires careful strategy and preparation, with the help of counsel both experienced and competent in dealing with the multiple forums that may be involved.

On any particular issue, multiple components of government may be involved, and multiple and conflicting interests may seek to have an impact on the ultimate outcome. Success in this dynamic environment requires participants to synthesize a wide range of highly specialized information, and to make judgments that draw upon inputs from a variety of disciplines. We seek to understand client issues from every perspective – substantively, legally, politically, and commercially – and to use our collective knowledge and experience to help clients to consider the options available to them, be they legislative, regulatory, or judicial. We provide timely, cost-effective solutions whether they are regulatory, transactional, legislative, or litigation-based.

Our Global Government Solutions^® practice provides a uniquely effective set of capabilities in dealing with governments around the world. The depth and breadth of our practice positions us to advance client interests efficiently and effectively and to develop and execute coordinated strategies in multiple locations.

Depth of Experience
Our professionals have extensive public service credentials at the national, state, and local government levels. More than 500 lawyers and professionals have previously held positions in government worldwide. We provide clients with practical advice and seasoned judgments, based upon a deep knowledge of key decision-makers and government processes.

Among our colleagues in the United States are both Democrats and Republicans who have worked under the previous seven U.S. presidents, including a former state governor, a former U.S. attorney general, and former representatives. Others have served as key former Republican and Democratic counsel and staff to the House and Senate leadership and committees; ambassador; and senior executive branch positions with the Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Homeland Security, and the White House staff under various administrations. We also count among us former senior gubernatorial aides and state agency officials, a former Democratic National Committee member, and former military officials. Outside the United States, our lawyers have served with the European Court of Justice, Germany’s Treuhandanstalt, Hong Kong’s Department of Justice, and the U.K.’s Department of Trade and Industry.

Geographic Reach
K&L Gates has 48 fully integrated offices in the primary political, commercial, and financial centers of North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and South America, including 14 world capitals or seats of government. As business issues increasingly involve multiple government authorities, our global reach allows us to develop and execute coordinated strategies in multiple locations.

Our reach extends to every region of the United States. In particular, our Washington, D.C. office, just blocks from the White House, and a short distance from Capitol Hill and federal agencies and other regulatory bodies, is ideally situated to assist our clients in all types of government and regulatory matters. On the West Coast, we have a presence from Southern California to Alaska, with offices in San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Spokane, and Anchorage. In the Central United States our offices stretch from Texas (Austin, Dallas, Houston and Fort Worth) to Chicago. On the East Coast, we reach from Florida to New England, with locations in Miami, North Carolina (Charlotte, Research Triangle Park and Raleigh), South Carolina (Charleston), Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh and Harrisburg), Newark, New York, Wilmington and Boston.

We have combined these capabilities with a network of offices around the globe. In Europe, we practice from offices in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Berlin, Brussels, Milan, Warsaw, and Moscow. In Asia, we are in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, Seoul, and Tokyo, and we are located in the Middle East, in Dubai and Doha. We also have a presence in South America, in São Paulo. In Australia, we have offices in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.