Mr. Gill was former legislative director to current House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer; Worked for a number of top congressional and Maryland state leaders; Joins Venable from Cassidy & Associates
WASHINGTON, DC (June 10, 2008) - Expanding its bench of senior legislative affairs personnel, Venable LLP has added Gregory Gill, a longtime lobbyist and former top staffer for current House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), as a partner in its Washington DC office.
Mr. Gill, who becomes a partner in Venable's Legislative and Government Affairs group, arrives from noted government affairs firm Cassidy & Associates, where he was Executive Vice President and former general counsel.
For the last 17 years, Mr. Gill has been a leading DC lobbyist with a knack for securing government appropriations for health care, education, labor, biomedical research and other areas. He has worked with some of the nation's largest hospital networks and universities, securing needed federal funding for a host of projects, including major construction of new facilities and research grants.
Mr. Gill also works with a number of large corporations and non-profit organizations. He recently helped create and shepherd through Congress a comprehensive plan to bring the U.S. Government's rules for "conflict diamonds" into international compliance. He has worked on reforming the nation's mining laws, which are still based on legislation originally created in 1872.
Mr. Gill is the latest prominent government professional to join Venable in the past month. The firm recently added John O'Neill, Counsel and Policy Director to the Senate Minority Whip's Office.
As general counsel at Cassidy, Mr. Gill managed legal affairs for the firm alongside his extensive client engagements. In addition to handling contracts and staff issues, he oversaw the firm's compliance on lobbying disclosure laws.
Prior to joining Cassidy in 1991, Mr. Gill had a distinguished career in public service, occupying high-profile positions at the federal, state and local levels. Among other posts, he served two years in the cabinet of Prince George's County Executive and future Maryland Governor Parris Glendenning as Drug Policy Coordinator.
Mr. Gill also served for five years as Legislative Director for then-House Minority Whip Hoyer. In that role, he was responsible for legislative initiatives in health care and biomedicine, as well as local economic development, education, and labor issues. As Associate Staff to the Appropriations Committee, Mr. Gill counseled Congressman Hoyer on matters relating to multiple congressional subcommittees, including Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary, HUD and Independent Agencies.
"Greg Gill is a good friend and has been a trusted advisor for more than 20 years. In his new position at Venable, he will bring a wealth of experience, expertise and relationships that will be a strong asset for clients," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD).
"Greg Gill has a keen understanding of Washington and the legislative process. He is an effective advocate and will serve his new firm well," added Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-SC).
"I met Greg through his work for his clients at Cassidy," said Senator Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA). "I have gotten to know Greg and his family because our daughters are in school together and both families have a common interest...horses. I appreciate his professionalism and friendship. Venable is getting a good lobbyist."
"Greg is a consummate government affairs professional. Someone who knows all of the complicated workings of the appropriations process at the federal and state levels," said Venable Legislative and Government Affairs practice chair Michael Ferrell.
"Legislation and committee work can be extremely arduous and Greg has mastered the process as well as anyone on Capitol Hill," Mr. Ferrell added. "He has assisted major clients on a broad range of issues and has been especially successful in helping them secure federal funding. We are fortunate to have him join, especially as a number of budgets are certain to be scrutinized closely in an election year."
In addition to his appropriations work, Mr. Gill served as counsel to several committees in the Maryland General Assembly, including the Senate Judicial Proceedings, the House Economic Matters, and House Environmental committees. He was also Legislative Assistant on education issues for U.S. Senator Donald Riegle (D-MI) and a consultant to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
"I've had an immensely satisfying experience the past two decades applying my government knowledge at Cassidy & Associates, which is truly one of Washington's premier lobbying and government affairs shops," Mr. Gill said.
"At this juncture in my career, I was looking to join a different and larger platform, in particular a full-service law firm with a government affairs division," he added. "Venable truly met my goal. The firm has a stellar team of veteran Capitol Hill hands who know every facet of the legislative process, together with an outstanding mix of lawyers across major practice groups accustomed to advising top corporate and institutional clients. Venable's roots in Maryland were a plus for me as well. This really is the right fit for me now."
Mr. Gill officially began his government career in 1974 as a research assistant on the U.S. House of Representatives' Judiciary Committee Impeachment Inquiry staff, chaired by Congressman Peter Rodino (D-NJ). He had previously been intern to Congressman Wayne Hayes (D-OH), Chairman of the House Administration Committee and Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm (D-NY), and as a law clerk to the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
Mr. Gill received his J.D. in 1977 from the University of Maryland and his B.A. in 1974 from Frostburg State College.
One of the American Lawyer’s top 100 law firms, Venable LLP has attorneys practicing in all areas of corporate and business law, complex litigation, intellectual property and government affairs. Venable serves corporate, institutional, governmental, nonprofit and individual clients throughout the U.S. and around the world from its headquarters in Washington, D.C. and offices in California, Maryland, New York and Virginia.