Veteran Congressman Steven LaTourette to Lead New Government Relations and Lobbying Subsidiary of McDonald Hopkins Law Firm, Extending Firm's Reach to Washington, D.C.

CLEVELAND, Jan. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Steven C. LaTourette, who recently retired after serving 18 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, will head a new subsidiary of McDonald Hopkins LLC, a business advisory and advocacy law firm with a more than 80-year history and offices in Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Miami and West Palm Beach.  The subsidiary will not be a branch office of the law firm and will not provide legal services, but will operate as an ancillary business, owned by the law firm, and provide lobbying and government relations services in Washington, D.C.

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LaTourette will serve as President of the newly created McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies with offices overlooking Capitol Hill.  The office will provide strategic advice and assistance at the federal government level.  LaTourette will team with his wife, Jennifer LaTourette, a Vice President at a major independent lobbying company for the past decade, who will serve as Vice President of McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies.

"This is a natural move for McDonald Hopkins, building upon our state-level advocacy practices, and is a great opportunity for us to work with Steve and Jennifer LaTourette," said Carl J. Grassi, president of McDonald Hopkins.  "Establishing a formal Washington presence built around these outstanding professionals continues the steady growth and expansion of our firm. Among their efforts, Steve and Jennifer will be available to work with our state-level government affairs practice to enhance our ability to serve the needs of our clients."

Steven LaTourette, who represented Northeast Ohio's 14th Congressional District, is a fiscally conservative, moderate Republican who strove to take a bipartisan and regional approach to governing.  He is widely credited with leading the successful effort to save more than 1,100 jobs at Cleveland's Defense Finance and Accounting Service and in assisting auto dealers impacted by the bankruptcy and bailout of GM and Chrysler.

"I firmly believe in the moderate and constructive values that I represented in Congress and intend to continue representing those values on behalf of clients whose interests are impacted by the actions of our government," he said.  "Moreover, Jennifer and I greatly respect the quality of lawyers at McDonald Hopkins and their ability to provide insightful counsel. Opening a Washington office for McDonald Hopkins appeals to the entrepreneurial spirit that Jennifer and I share."

In addition, it was announced today that LaTourette has accepted a three-year term as president of the Republican Main Street Partnership, which is dedicated to supporting a pragmatic, fiscally conservative "governing majority" where political debate is encouraged to promote solutions to improve the lives of all Americans.

Before deciding not to seek re-election to a 10th term in Congress, Rep. LaTourette had become one of Speaker John Boehner's closest colleagues in the House.  He was appointed to the prestigious House Appropriations Committee in 2009 and was the only member from Northeast Ohio.  He also served on three subcommittees: Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (HUD); Interior, Environment and Related Agencies; and Legislative Branch.

Prior to his election to the House of Representatives, LaTourette served from 1989 to 1995 as the Lake County Prosecutor. In 1990, he was named Prosecuting Attorney of the Year in Ohio for his successful prosecution of 13 members of a murderous religious cult. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Cleveland Marshall College of Law.

Jennifer LaTourette, a Vice President at Van Scoyoc Associates Inc. since 2003, has created and overseen campaigns to change the perspectives of both the general public and official Washington, resulting in major changes in legislation, policy and opinion. Her clients have included various educational, municipal, medical, transportation, financial services, corporate and nonprofit entities.

She has provided policy and appropriations support for a wide range of clients including the Chicago Public Schools where she worked for then-Superintendent Arne Duncan, the current Secretary of the Department of Education. She has also represented the United Negro College Fund, the National Urban League, the University of Akron and Defiance College. 

Prior to joining VSA, Jennifer LaTourette worked for Members of the House and Senate for nearly a decade.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College and her Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center.

"It has been exciting getting to know Carl and other executives at McDonald Hopkins," she said.  "I look forward to this new opportunity with great anticipation."

About McDonald Hopkins
With 140 attorneys in Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Miami, and West Palm Beach, McDonald Hopkins is a business advisory and advocacy law firm with a more than 80-year history. The president of McDonald Hopkins is Carl J. Grassi. For more information, visit mcdonaldhopkins.com.

CONTACT:

Deborah W. Kelm
McDonald Hopkins LLC
600 Superior Avenue, East, Suite 2100
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Phone: 216.348.5733
Email: [email protected]  

SOURCE McDonald Hopkins