Governmental Affairs

Ogletree Governmental Affairs, Inc. (OGA), a subsidiary of Ogletree Deakins, is a full service legislative and regulatory affairs consulting firm, dedicated to helping clients solve their problems with the public sector. OGA unites the skills and experience of government relations professionals with the talent of the Firm’s lawyers to provide solutions to regulatory issues outside the courtroom.

OGA’s services by its professionals in Washington offer knowledge, experience and bipartisan access to key decision makers, which are the core components of a successful government relations practice. OGA’s services are integrated with the firm’s offices located in cities throughout the United States. As part of a national, full-service labor and employment law firm, the group is able to draw upon the experience of members of other Ogletree Deakins’ practice groups that may have substantive, day-to-day experience with the issues that are central to a client’s problems. Those problems may arise before the U.S. Department of Labor and its Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Wage and Hour Division, as well as the National Labor Relations Board, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and other federal agencies and departments. OGA has excellent, long-standing contacts and relationships in all of the federal labor and employment agencies in Washington.

OGA’s team-based approach also incorporates access to an entire range of related service providers, where necessary to address a client’s problems. These include public relations and media specialists, grassroots consultants, think tank and academic support groups, collaboration with trade and professional associations, and legal assistance in court and administrative tribunals from trade association brief-writing centers who file amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) briefs in support of the client’s legal positions.

OGA’s Services

Monitor, analyze, and report on evolving federal and state legislation, regulations, and enforcement policies
Produce timely electronic alerts, webinars, conference calls, and newsletters on fast-breaking legislative, regulatory and political developments
Represent clients through direct advocacy of client interests before Congress and federal agencies
Prepare and file written comments for clients in rulemaking before federal agencies and written communications with Congress
Arrange client meetings with key decision makers in Congress and federal agencies
Represent clients in legislative and regulatory coalitions of business interests
Advance client litigation interests through business brief-writing organizations

Why OGA?

Ogletree Deakins was the first labor and employment law firm to establish a government relations service in Washington nearly thirty years ago. Recognizing the important interconnection between solving clients’ local workplace problems and federal policies and decision-making, Ogletree Deakins established a strong Washington presence. Since then, OGA has carried on that proud tradition of problem solving.

Pending legislative and regulatory policies can threaten a client’s individual business success and broader industry interests. Legal actions and government regulatory enforcement can pose a serious, and costly, risk to clients’ business operations. At the same time, public policies and regulatory issues can pose opportunities for clients.

Through a strategic, team-based approach partnering with clients and their in-house staff, together with the experience of Ogletree Deakins’ lawyers throughout the country, OGA can help protect our clients’ interests and serve their needs in Washington in the area of workplace law.

OGA’s clients include large and small businesses, trade and professional associations, state and local government organizations, and coalitions of private as well as public sector interests. OGA has particular experience in representing business interests in the areas of labor and employment, occupational, environmental and product safety laws and regulations, and small business issues.