Hunter Bates > Akin > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile
Akin Offices
Robert S. Strauss Tower
2001 K Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006-1037
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
United States
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Hunter Bates
Work Department
Partner; Lobbying & Public Policy
Position
Hunter Bates is co-leader of Akin’s lobbying & public policy practice and on the firm’s Management Committee, bringing more than 20 years of law, policy and advocacy experience to his client work. Hunter combines his extensive knowledge of policy and process with his close connections to key players to provide strategic advice and advocacy on behalf of a wide range of clients, including Fortune 100 companies, trade associations, coalitions and nonprofit organizations. Hunter brings to his client engagements a deep understanding of the intricacies of the legislative process and extensive experience working with members of the Senate and House on wide-ranging issues such as tax, trade, appropriations, healthcare, labor and sports law.
Repeatedly named among the country’s “Top Lobbyists” by The Hill, Hunter’s ability to mobilize support and drive meaningful policy outcomes is a testament to his unwavering commitment to achieving tangible results for his clients.
To learn more about Hunter, please visit his profile: https://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/hunter-bates.html
Career
Hunter served as legal counsel and then chief of staff for current U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). He also clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit for the Honorable Eugene E. Siler, Jr.
Memberships
District of Columbia Bar Association; Kentucky Bar Association
Member, board of directors, Institute for Free Speech.
Education
J.D., Harvard Law School
B.A., Eastern Kentucky University, magna cum laude
Lawyer Rankings
United States > Government > Government relations
(Leading lawyers)Akin‘s exceptionally deep bench is comprised of both lawyers and nonlawyer advisors with extensive experience in the political sphere. Availing themselves of a long reach across congressional committees, the executive branch, and federal agencies, the team is recognized for its tax, trade, healthcare, energy, financial services, and environment expertise. The firm’s distinct congressional investigations arm is also renowned for being a major player in the most sensitive and high-profile proceedings. Tax, health, transportation, tech and financial services specialist Hunter Bates jointly chairs the public law and policy group with premier international trade lobbyist Brian Pomper. Raphael Prober and Karen Christian bring federal executive and congressional experience to their leadership of the congressional investigations team. Arshi Siddiqui draws on policy and political knowhow from her tenure as senior policy advisor to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Ed Pagano has served in the Obama administration as Senate Liaison and Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, and Clete Willems has been a lead negotiator with China during the Trump administration. Tom Moyer advises financial services, education, and defense sector clients in government investigations. Christopher Treanor, who is well-versed in Inflation Reduction Act and natural gas matters, was promoted to partner in January 2024. Reggie Babin, who served as chief counsel to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and is highly sought after as an AI lobbyist, joined the firm as senior counsel in January 2023.
Lawyer Rankings
- Government relations United States > Government
- Leading lawyers United States > Government > Government relations
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- International trade > Customs, export controls and economic sanctions
- Government > Government relations
- Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
- International trade > Trade remedies and trade policy
Firm Rankings
- Investment fund formation and management > Alternative/hedge funds
- Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)
- Industry focus > Education
- Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market ($500m-999m)
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
- Industry focus > Native American law
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Corporate governance
- Government > Government contracts
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: middle-market (Up to $500m)
- Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital)
- Energy > Renewable/alternative power
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings
- International trade > CFIUS
- Energy > Energy transactions: electric power
- Environment > Environment: transactional
- Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
- Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions)
- Antitrust > Merger control
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (International Trade Commission)
- Finance > Project finance
- Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: regulatory
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious
- Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
- Healthcare > Life sciences
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage)
- Real estate > Real estate
- Industry focus > Sport
- Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)
- Finance > Commercial lending
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism