K&L Gates Adds Of Counsel to Public Policy and Law Practice in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. – Global law firm K&L Gates LLP has added Joseph Trahern as an of counsel in its Public Policy and Law practice. He joins the firm’s Washington, D.C., office.

Trahern has more than 15 years of experience as a top lobbyist at two Fortune 500 companies. Most recently, Trahern worked for Comcast as executive director and as senior director for federal government affairs. At Comcast, Trahern served as a lead lobbyist and government affairs strategist for Senate Democrats and covered a variety of telecom, media, antitrust, and tax issues. He also worked extensively on the successful Comcast and NBCUniversal transaction. Prior to working in Comcast's federal affairs team, Trahern was the director of legislative and regulatory affairs in the Washington office of General Motors. There, he served as chief congressional advocate for Democratic members and staff for both House of Representatives and US Senate on a wide range of issues, including taxes, trade, energy, and the US auto industry rescue during the financial crisis.

Trahern previously served as chief of staff to both US Representative Doris Matsui (D-CA) and her husband, the late Robert Matsui (D-CA). He worked in the Senate before moving over to the House, serving former Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) and on the staffs of Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND). In addition to his extensive experience on both sides of the Hill, Trahern served in the White House as Special Assistant to the President for Political Affairs during the Clinton administration.

Michael Scanlon, a leader of K&L Gates’ global Policy & Regulatory practice area, remarked: “We are excited to welcome Joe to the firm. He has a long track record as an effective policy advocate in a variety of high-profile roles in the House, Senate, the Executive Branch, and downtown. Joe’s extensive policy experience will complement and add depth to our bipartisan team in key growth areas, including transportation and technology.”

Trahern’s arrival follows the addition of several other new partners and policy professionals to the Public Policy and Law practice this month, including partner Drew Tedford in Austin and government affairs advisor John Northington Jr. in Houston and Washington, D.C. In the past year, the practice also added partner Jamie Jackson, former senior counsel to former US House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer; partner Matt Leggett, former minority chief counsel with the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee; government affairs advisor Finch Fulton, former US Department of Transportation deputy assistant secretary for transportation policy; government affairs advisor Ryan Carney, former chief of staff for two members of Congress; and of counsel Len Bickwit.

“Joe has worked across the spectrum of politics and policy in Washington – campaigns, the White House, both chambers of Congress, as well as the private sector,” said David Wochner, managing partner of K&L Gates’ Washington, D.C., office. “He is a proven government affairs leader and will be able to support our clients in the District and across the United States in tackling and resolving problems within the political and legislative sphere.”

With a significant team of bipartisan lawyers and policy professionals who have more than 500 years of combined government experience, members of K&L Gates’ Public Policy and Law practice work with clients through the entire policy life cycle—from legislation to regulation and dispute resolution. The group is one of the largest public policy practices of any global integrated law firm.