Press Release
K&L Gates Grows Public Policy Practice with Hire of Texas Governor's Budget Director in Austin Office
10 August 2016
Austin - The Austin office of global law firm K&L Gates LLP welcomes Ky R. Ash as a government affairs advisor in the public policy and law practice. He will join K&L Gates in early September from the Texas Governor’s Office, where he most recently served as the budget director.
Ash has nearly two decades of experience working in Texas state government, with a particular emphasis on budget, economic development, energy, and tax policy. During that time, he has negotiated many complex bills through the legislative process, including the passage of the United States’ first mandatory hydraulic fracturing fluid disclosure bill; legislation authorizing the state issuance of $3 billion in bonds to fund groundbreaking cancer research and prevention programs; and the restructuring of the state tax system to fund Texas public schools.
Prior to joining Governor Abbott’s office, Ash spent more than 15 years in the Texas House of Representatives working as chief of staff and legislative director for Texas State Representative James L. Keffer, as well as chief clerk for several Texas House committees, including energy resources, ways and means, and economic development, and the select committee on property tax relief. As chief clerk for the House Committee on Economic Development, he provided leadership in the restructuring of Texas’ economic development efforts, including the creation of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism, the Texas Enterprise Fund, and the Texas Economic Development Bank.
“We are excited to have Ky join our team,” said Jack M. Erskine, administrative partner of K&L Gates’ Austin office. “He has had a long career in state government, working in both the House and in the Governor’s office. The experience, knowledge, and reputation that he brings to K&L Gates will help to strengthen our top-tier public policy practice.”
Ash’s arrival follows a number of other recent additions to K&L Gates’ public policy and law practice, including Army Secretary John McHugh and Anne LeMay, Stephen Martinko, and Roderick D. Hall in Washington, D.C., and Rene L. Diehl in Harrisburg.
Ash has nearly two decades of experience working in Texas state government, with a particular emphasis on budget, economic development, energy, and tax policy. During that time, he has negotiated many complex bills through the legislative process, including the passage of the United States’ first mandatory hydraulic fracturing fluid disclosure bill; legislation authorizing the state issuance of $3 billion in bonds to fund groundbreaking cancer research and prevention programs; and the restructuring of the state tax system to fund Texas public schools.
Prior to joining Governor Abbott’s office, Ash spent more than 15 years in the Texas House of Representatives working as chief of staff and legislative director for Texas State Representative James L. Keffer, as well as chief clerk for several Texas House committees, including energy resources, ways and means, and economic development, and the select committee on property tax relief. As chief clerk for the House Committee on Economic Development, he provided leadership in the restructuring of Texas’ economic development efforts, including the creation of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism, the Texas Enterprise Fund, and the Texas Economic Development Bank.
“We are excited to have Ky join our team,” said Jack M. Erskine, administrative partner of K&L Gates’ Austin office. “He has had a long career in state government, working in both the House and in the Governor’s office. The experience, knowledge, and reputation that he brings to K&L Gates will help to strengthen our top-tier public policy practice.”
Ash’s arrival follows a number of other recent additions to K&L Gates’ public policy and law practice, including Army Secretary John McHugh and Anne LeMay, Stephen Martinko, and Roderick D. Hall in Washington, D.C., and Rene L. Diehl in Harrisburg.
K&L Gates comprises approximately 2,000 lawyers globally who practice in fully integrated offices located on five continents. The firm represents leading multinational corporations, growth and middle-market companies, capital markets participants and entrepreneurs in every major industry group as well as public sector entities, educational institutions, philanthropic organizations and individuals.
