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Edwards Wildman Launches Government Relations and Public Policy Consulting Group
[May 21, 2014]

Edwards Wildman Launches Government Relations and Public Policy Consulting Group


BOSTON --(Business Wire)--

The law firm of Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP is pleased to announce that it has established the Edwards Wildman Public Policy Group LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary dedicated to government relations and public policy. Robert "Emmet" Hayes, Robert R. Ruddock, Daniel F. Cahill, and Louis A. Rizoli will serve as the new entity's leadership team and will be resident in the firm's Boston and Washington, DC offices. They will augment the firm's existing government relations and public policy practice led by Jason L. Zanetti, based in Washington, DC and Boston. They join the firm from the Boston-based government relations firm, Smith, Ruddock & Hayes.

"The creation of the Edwards Wildman Public Policy Group expands our firm's capabilities throughout New England and in our nation's capital," said Alan J. Levin, chairman of Edwards Wildman. "We are thrilled that this team, with their impressive track record of success, will be joining Edwards Wildman to advise clients on proposed and existing federal, state, and local legislation and regulations."

A highly-regarded former Massachusetts state legislator, Hayes will serve as president of the Edwards Wildman Public Policy Group. He has more than 25 years of experience in assisting public and private businesses with strategic planning, business development, constituency building, and community relations. Among one of Hayes's many achievements as a state legislator was authoring the landmark legislation that created Massachusetts' $6 billion revolving loan fund to help cities and towns finance sewer and clean water projects. In addition, Hayes chaired the Baird Maguire Superfund Advisory Committee, in which he negotiated a solution for one of the most significant hazardous waste sites in the nation. Hayes has been honored with the US Environmental Protection Agency Regional Merit Award, The Water Pollution Control Federation Harry Schlenz Medal, and the Legislator of the Year award by both the Massachusetts Utility Contractors and Massachusetts Municipal Association.

Ruddock will serve as senior vice president. He has more than 30 years of experience in advising on a wide range of public policy matters, both as an attorney and a government relations professional. Prior to entering private practice, he spent 18 years at the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the state's largest and most prominent business advocacy organization.

An attorney and legislative agent, Cahill will serve as a vice president. A former Assistant District Attorney in the office of the Essex County District Attorney, Cahill also has served as a legislative aide in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He is in his fourth term as an elected City Councilor At-Large in the City of Lynn and is the current president of the City Council. Cahill was previously elected to the Lynn School Committee and was appointed by Governors Mitt Romney and Deval Patrick to serve on two regional high school boards.

Rizoli served as counsel to the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1986 to 2009 under five different Speakers, the longest serving counsel in the history of the House. He has filed a number of briefs with the Supreme Judicial Court, including one in a successful challenge to the constitutinality of a ballot question. Rizoli will be a vice president at the Edwards Wildman Public Policy Group LLC.



"We are delighted to welcome these esteemed government relations professionals, who are acclaimed throughout New England for their deep knowledge on education, healthcare, environmental, and energy matters," said Gerald P. ("Jed") Hendrick, chair of Edwards Wildman's Public Policy & Government Relations Department. "Edwards Wildman's broad platform and long-standing presence in Massachusetts and Washington, DC will perfectly complement the team's strengths in helping clients navigate the complex intersection between the law, legislation, regulatory rulemaking, and advocacy."

With offices in Boston and Washington, DC, Edwards Wildman's Public Policy & Government Relations Department's professionals have developed strong relationships with legislators and other policy-makers at all levels of federal, state, and local government, including the U.S. House and Senate, and throughout the executive branch. Using its public policy and legal expertise, Edwards Wildman works closely with clients across a wide range of industries to prepare government relations strategies for advancing favorable legislation and regulations and improving client relationships with regulators and policy-makers. Edwards Wildman successfully coordinates litigation, lobbying, and public affairs activities to achieve powerful results and regularly advises clients on compliance with federal, state and local campaign finance, ethics, lobbying and election laws.


Executive Bios

Robert "Emmet" Hayes

A highly-regarded former Massachusetts state legislator, Hayes has more than 25 years of experience in assisting public and private businesses with strategic planning, business development, constituency building, and community relations. He has been honored with the US Environmental Protection Agency Regional Merit Award, The Water Pollution Control Federation Harry Schlenz Medal, and the Legislator of the Year award by both the Massachusetts Utility Contractors and Massachusetts Municipal Association in recognition of his leadership in the areas of public finance, the environment, and transportation. While serving in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Hayes was instrumental in authoring landmark legislation that created the state's $6 billion revolving loan fund to help cities and towns finance sewer and clean water projects. In addition, Hayes chaired the Baird Maguire Superfund Advisory Committee, in which he negotiated a solution for one of the most significant hazardous waste sites in the nation. Hayes earned his B.S. in political science from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He served in the US Navy as an electronics communications specialist in the Vietnam War.

Robert R. Ruddock

Ruddock's practice focuses on legislative and regulatory issues with an emphasis in the areas of energy, environment, and business regulation. He has more than 30 years of experience in advising on a wide range of public policy matters, including ballot questions and legislative/business relations. Ruddock represents clients in utility regulation, healthcare, election law, licensing, and ethics campaign finance matters. Prior to entering private practice, he spent 18 years at the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the state's largest and most prominent business advocacy organization. As the Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Ruddock's responsibilities included all legislative and regulatory issues, such as energy, healthcare, taxation, business regulation, economic development, permitting, and the environment. He earned his law degree from Suffolk University Law School, where he was on the law review, and his undergraduate degree from Fairfield University.

Daniel F. Cahill

Cahill's primary practice encompasses criminal, administrative, corporate, real estate, probate, landlord/tenant, and tort law. He represents clients in the state district and superior courts as well as federal courts and also handles matters for clients before regulatory and licensing agencies, including local municipal boards and committees. A former Assistant District Attorney in the office of the Essex County District Attorney, Cahill also served as a legislative aide in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Cahill is in his fourth term as an elected City Councilor At-Large in the City of Lynn and is the current president of the City Council. He previously was elected to the Lynn School Committee and was appointed by Governors Mitt Romney and Deval Patrick to serve on two regional high school boards. Cahill earned his law degree from Suffolk Law School, his Master's degree in political science from Suffolk University, and his undergraduate degree from Northeastern University.

Louis A. Rizoli

Rizoli advises clients in administrative law, legislative drafting and compliance with state laws in the areas of ethics, conflicts of interest, campaign finance, and lobbying laws. He has filed a number of briefs with the Supreme Judicial Court, including one in a successful challenge to the constitutionality of a ballot question. Rizoli served as counsel to the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1986 to 2009 under five different Speakers, the longest serving counsel in the history of the House. An adjunct professor of law at Suffolk University Law School for 15 years, he is a member of the board of trustees and the audit committee of Dedham Savings Bank. Rizoli earned his law degree from Suffolk Law School and his undergraduate degree from Holy Cross College.

About Edwards Wildman

Edwards Wildman is a full-service, international law firm with 600 lawyers in the US, Europe and Asia. We have market-leading capabilities in private equity and venture capital, complex litigation, insurance and reinsurance, IP and technology, and corporate and public finance. We have more than a century of experience as business-minded legal counsel. We share our clients' entrepreneurial spirit and understand their industries, and we succeed because we add value to our clients' business. We have offices in Boston, Chicago, Hartford, Hong Kong, Istanbul, London, Los Angeles, Morristown (NJ), Miami, New York, Orange (News - Alert) County, Providence, Stamford, Tokyo, Washington, DC, and West Palm Beach.


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