Government Relations

Our Government Relations team offers the seasoned counsel of some of North Carolina’s “Most Influential Lobbyists,” complemented by the support of experienced consulting professionals. In August 2020, Smith Anderson was named a top five lobbying firm by the North State Journal. With decades of strategic advocacy success on a broad array of political, legislative, regulatory, administrative and legal issues – including extensive political campaign experience – our bipartisan team of lawyers maintains strong relationships throughout North Carolina’s state government and in many of our cities and counties. Additionally, we offer robust statewide media relations consulting, skilled association management and keen public grassroots outreach capabilities.

Government policies can dramatically affect industries, professions, associations and businesses – often altering their bottom lines – and businesses and organizations need effective ways to reach policymakers and inform them of the likely effects of their choices. Our Government Relations team has the knowledge, skill and legal insight to help navigate through these complex policy issues. We help our clients succeed by communicating effectively with crucial audiences: state and local political leaders, administrators, regulators, economic developers, the press and the public. We have deep, bipartisan experience in political campaigns, legislative initiatives, public controversies and message development and delivery. Combining the advocacy abilities of litigators with the negotiating skills of transactional lawyers, we guide the development of strategic public-policy objectives, determine how best to pursue those goals, and help achieve them by navigating legislative, administrative and rule-making challenges and opportunities.

Our Team

The co-chairs of our Government Relations practice have long been recognized as among the “Most Influential” North Carolina lobbyists by the nonpartisan N.C. Center for Public Policy Research – including a No. 1 ranking in 2012. Another leading lawyer in our practice is a former Wake County manager and senior leader in the N.C. Senate, where he was the state’s lead budget writer. Our consulting professionals provide strategic media relations and association management expertise, rounding out our comprehensive client-service repertoire.

As the largest law firm headquartered in North Carolina’s renowned Research Triangle region, our clients benefit from our corporate, litigation and regulatory law practices that supplement our distinctive Government Relations practice.

• Legislative advocacy (lobbying and monitoring of legislative developments) 
• Public relations and media strategies 
• Regulatory advocacy (agency rulemaking, administrative policies and litigation)
• Regulatory compliance counseling
• Government contracts, procurement advice and litigation 
• Economic development and tax incentives 
• Grassroots strategies and activities
• Association management
• Campaign finance law