Bill Thomas to advise major law firm
| Wednesday, May 02 2007 02:55 PM
Last Updated Saturday, Mar 28 2009 02:11 AM
Former Bakersfield Congressman Bill Thomas has joined a major national law firm with a Washington lobbying office, along with two men who were among his top aides when he chaired the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, the firm announced today.
However, an official of the firm, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, said Thomas will serve as a senior advisor to the firm and its clients and there are no plans for him to become a lobbyist. In any event, federal law bars former members of Congress from lobbying for at least a year after they leave office.
"Bill will provide strategic advice to clients of our practice," Ronald Platt, head of the government relations practice at the firm, said in an e-mail. "His years of experience and his ability to see beyond the moment will be invaluable. He will help us provide solutions in Washington and assist in our growing our California presence."
The law firm also announced today that it has hired Alex Brill, former senior advisor and chief economist for the Ways and Means Committee, as an economic policy advisor.
On Monday, it announced that Robert Winters, former chief tax counsel of the committee under Thomas, is joining the firm as a shareholder, the equivalent of a partner in other law firms.
Platt said Winters will register as a lobbyist but Brill will not, at least for now.
