Three Smith Anderson Attorneys Rank Among the State’s Most Influential Lobbyists

Raleigh, N.C. – In its biennial survey of the most influential lobbyists in the General Assembly, the nonpartisan North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research (NCCPPR) recognizes three Smith Anderson attorneys. Dave Horne, Dana Simpson and Richard Stevens are ranked among the State’s most influential registered lobbyists for the 2013-14 legislative session.  The Most Influential Lobbyist rankings are based on anonymous surveys of the state’s legislators, Capitol Press Corps reporters and lobbyists.

Smith Anderson’s Most Influential Lobbyists

• Dave Horne co-chairs Smith Anderson’s Government Affairs practice and is a veteran lobbyist who has been recognized among the State’s most influential lobbyists since 1995.
• Dana Simpson ranked 2^nd out of over 750 registered lobbyists in this year’s NCCPPR rankings.  Dana co-chairs Smith Anderson’s Government Affairs practice, and in 2011-12 became the youngest lobbyist in the history of the NCCPPR survey to take the top lobbyist ranking.
• Former Senator Richard Stevens makes his debut on the Most Influential Lobbyists list this year, ranking 20^th. Richard joined Smith Anderson in September 2012 after serving as a Senator in the North Carolina General Assembly since 2003. Before stepping down from that role, he was ranked as the Senate’s third most effective member, according to a survey by the NCCPPR.

About Smith Anderson’s Government Relations Practice
Our Government Relations practice has bipartisan experience in political campaigns, public controversies and message development, which has informed our perspective on how politics influence the thinking of state and local policymakers. Combining the advocacy skills of litigators with the negotiating skills of transactional lawyers, we provide the direction needed to develop strategic public-policy goals, determine how best to pursue those goals, and navigate the legislative and rule-making processes to achieve them. Our Government Affairs practice has received consecutive first-tier designations in the national “Best Law Firm" ranking, produced jointly by U.S. News and Best Lawyers®. 

About Smith Anderson
Since our founding in 1912, Smith Anderson has grown to more than 120 attorneys and is the largest law firm headquartered in North Carolina’s Research Triangle area. We serve clients ranging in size from large public companies to emerging growth businesses, providing a full range of legal services to assist our clients in accomplishing their goals. The knowledge and experience of our attorneys makes us well-positioned to handle the litigation and business matters that our clients face. For more information, please visit www.SmithLaw.com.

About The North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research
The NCCPPR is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization created in 1977 to evaluate state government programs and study important public policy issues facing North Carolina. This is the 17th time the NCCPPR has released its rankings of the most influential lobbyists.  The newly released rankings are based on the results of a survey conducted in October, November and December of 2013. For more information, CLICK HERE to read the NCCPPR’s press release.