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Senate Confirms Ex-Rep. Glickman as Agriculture Chief Guy Gugliotta / Washington Post 31mar95
Monitoring Corporate Agribusiness From a Public Interest Perspective A.V. Krebs Editor\Publisher
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While it came as no surprise to those that know how U.S. agricultural policy is formulated and administered, the announcement recently that former USDA secretary Dan Glickman has joined Akin, Gump, Strauss Hauer & Feld, one of Washington's major lobbying and law firms to advise the firm's client on food and food safety, health, biotechnology and international trade issues, his joining that particular firm has its curious aspects.
Glickman signed on as a partner in the public law and policy practice group and while he says he'll "probably play a role . . . one way or another" in new farm legislation next year, reports the Washington Post's Judy Sarasohn, he will not actually be buttonholing his former colleagues, says partner Joel Jankowsky.
"We . . . didn't bring him on to occupy the halls of Congress. We have other people to do that," said Jankowsky, who heads the public law and policy practice group. "Virtually every one of our clients is affected by the intersection of government and business," Jankowsky said, and Glickman's "ability as a problem solver" will benefit the firm's clients.
"For 25 years, I've been involved in the public policy sector and this firm has the best public policy practice I've seen," Glickman told Sarasohn in a recent interview. He said he also admired how senior partner Robert Strauss, who held posts in both Democratic and Republican administrations as well as heading the Democratic Party at one point, has been able to "transcend" party politics.
It is that admiration of Strauss, a long-time personal friend of Dwayne O. Andreas former CEO and Board Chairman of Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and current ADM board member, that makes Glickman's new role with Akin, Gump, Strauss Hauer & Feld one of curiosity and might even suggest the answers to certain unanswered questions surrounding the ADM price fixing scandal and the negotiations surrounding the debarement issue.
As Nicholas Hollis, President of the Agribusiness Council points out it is common for companies entering guilty pleas in federal criminal cases to automatically be disbarred from doing government business for a period of time. In the ADM case, it appears that a shrouded deal was struck between USDA and Akin Gump (representing ADM), which enabled the price fixing company to maintain its lucrative federal contracts and subsidies, while a second legal team from Williams and Connolly (also representing ADM) hammered out other details of the $100 million fine/plea agreement with attorneys from the Department of Justice (DOJ)
Later the USDA and the DOJ professed different stories on these negotiations, Hollis adds, particularly important over the fine point on whether the USDA actions in lieu of debarement were known by DOJ attorneys when the plea bargain was presented for approval before Federal Judge Ruben Castillo in Chicago. (See Issue #92). The DOJ emphatically says "NO" while USDA spokesman, Mike Dunn stated "Yes" in a public forum speaking (See Issue #30) to Joel Klein, DOJ's antitrust chief, who was in overall charge of the case from mid 1995.
Additional details on this chapter in the ADM (Supermarkup to the World) price fixing scandal can be found in Jim Lieber's book Rats in the Grain: The Dirty Tricks and Trials of Archer Daniels Midland - The Supermarket to the World, (2000) p. 318.
Former agriculture secretary Dan Glickman this week joined Akin, Gump, Strauss Hauer & Feld, one of the major lobbying and law firms in Washington. He will advise clients on food and food safety, health, biotechnology and international trade.
Glickman, a Democratic member of the House until President Bill Clinton nominated him to head the USDA, signed on as a partner in the public law and policy practice group. And while he says he'll "probably play a role . . . one way or another" in new farm legislation next year, Glickman will not actually be buttonholing his former colleagues, says partner Joel Jankowsky.
"We . . . didn't bring him on to occupy the halls of Congress. We have other people to do that," said Jankowsky, who heads the public law and policy practice group. "Virtually every one of our clients is affected by the intersection of government and business," Jankowsky said, and Glickman's "ability as a problem solver" will benefit the firm's clients.
"For 25 years, I've been involved in the public policy sector and this firm has the best public policy practice I've seen," Glickman said in an interview yesterday. He said he also admired how senior partner Robert Strauss, who held posts in both Democratic and Republican administrations as well as heading the Democratic Party at one point, has been able to transcend party politics.
Outside the firm, Glickman says, he will continue his involvement in the family scrap-iron business and his unpaid work at a new Wichita State University public affairs institute -- which has an emphasis on humor in political life -- that he and his siblings established in honor of their late parents.
Not all of Akin Gump is Democratic. Paul G. Scolese, who was director of the Commerce Department advisory committee for the Bush transition office, has also joined the public law and policy practice as a consultant. Earlier, he worked on the GOP staff of the House Commerce Committee and served as legislative director for former congressman Bill Paxon (R-N.Y.), who is also now at Akin Gump.
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P.
Profile by Hoovers Online 23feb01
Lobbying is as lobbying does. Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld is known for its work inside Washington's Beltway and has a staff peppered with political insiders such as Robert Strauss (co-founder and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee) and Vernon Jordan (friend and adviser to President Clinton). The firm has about 1,050 attorneys in nine US and four international offices after its 2000 acquisition of entertainment law specialist Troop Steuber Pasich Reddick & Tobey. Along with its prominent lobbying contingent and expanding intellectual property practice, Akin, Gump's expertise ranges from corporate law to white-collar criminal defense. The firm also is expanding its technology practice.
NEW YORK -- Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P. today announced plans to significantly expand its technology practice, Akin Gump Technology Ventures, with the addition of 10 lawyers in New York effective August 15.
This group provides a full range of legal services to technology companies, with particular emphasis on helping early-stage Internet companies raise capital. The group was previously with Camhy Karlinsky & Stein LLP.
The group has significant experience in Silicon Alley representing a wide range of clients, including start-ups, public and private companies and a number of venture capital firms with a focus on new media and technology. Representative clients include icontact.com, inc.; MaMaMedia Inc.; Wattage Monitor Inc.; Broadway Television Network; iParty Corp.; and booktech.com, inc.
Akin Gump Technology Ventures is an interactive, multidisciplinary practice group dedicated to providing efficient, scalable solutions that addresses the legal needs of technology clients across a broad spectrum. With more than 200 lawyers and other professionals, Akin Gump Technology Ventures assists clients worldwide to develop and execute business strategies.
As an integral part of the firm's expansion in the technology arena, the firm created an affiliated venture financing fund, Akin Gump Investment Partners 2000, L.P. The fund typically invests between $50,000 and $250,000 in emerging Internet, microelectronics, software, telecommunications, new media and biotechnology companies.
Joining Akin Gump as partners are Robert S. Matlin, Willie E. Dennis and Elaine M. Laflamme. Jeffrey J. Fessler and Michael B. Kupin join as senior counsel. Karla A. Olivier, Katherine D. Morici, Wayne A. Melbourne, John F. Storz and Kathleen M. Kalaher join as associates.
Jonathan Cohen, director of Internet research for Wit SoundView, remarked, "The technology group at Camhy identified very early the opportunity in the Internet and technology sector. As a result, they have been associated with some of the more interesting companies in this space, and have formed strong relationships with entrepreneurs and technology companies."
Robert S. Matlin, co-chair of the technology practice in New York, added, "I was drawn to Akin Gump because of the firm's superior reputation and broad commitment to the technology space. The depth and breadth of the firm's expertise and global resources will significantly expand the services we can offer our clients."
Gary Lawrence, managing director of Akin Gump Technology Ventures, commented, "With the addition of this nationally recognized new media group, Akin Gump has moved closer to achieving one of the key objectives of its global strategic plan-expanding our technology practice in major capital markets centers. With offices in Texas, California and Northern Virginia, we now have one of the most dynamic and comprehensive technology practices in the country. That combination of talent and geographic reach will enable Akin Gump Technology Ventures to bring a whole new level of service to the Silicon Alley market."
Founded in 1945, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P., a leading international law firm, numbers 900 lawyers with offices in Austin, Brussels, Dallas, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, New York, Northern Virginia, Philadelphia, Riyadh (affiliate), San Antonio and Washington. The firm has a diversified practice and represents regional, national and international clients in a wide range of areas, including antitrust; banking and financial institutions; bankruptcy, reorganization and creditors' rights; capital markets; communications; corporate and securities; employee benefits; energy; entertainment; environmental; estate planning, wealth transfer and probate; government contracts; health; insurance; intellectual property; international; investment management; labor and employment; litigation; mergers and acquisitions; privatization; project finance; public law and policy; real estate and finance; taxation; and technology. For additional information, please visit our Web site at http://www.akingump.com .
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