Business Sectors

Natural resources policy has been a foundational element of our firm for nearly 50 years.

From the firm’s inception, our professionals have played key roles in the development of our nation’s principle environmental regulations and policy—serving as legal counsel and policy advisors to members of Congress and Congressional committees, White House staff, and as presidential appointees to federal agencies in both Democratic and Republican administrations that were responsible for developing many of our nation’s most important energy, environmental, and natural resources laws.

This experience provides invaluable legal, technical, and regulatory insight into any natural resource and environmental issue faced by proposed development and client operations in nearly every sector of the economy throughout the United States.

Our cybersecurity and emerging technologies team represents clients with a diverse range of counsel on a multitude of cyber-related vulnerabilities that threaten critical infrastructure—including oil and gas pipelines; LNG facilities; offshore oil and gas rigs/platforms; electricity generation, transmission, and distribution assets; hydropower and municipal water facilities; nuclear reactors and chemical plants; and medical, research and academic institutions. With an increased prevalence of threats to physical, natural, and cyber systems, both public and private sector entities must strengthen their defense and resilience against at-risk systems—particularly given an increased reliance on networks necessary to operate these systems, and the severe health, safety, environmental, and regulatory consequences from cyber-attacks to these types of assets.

Our team combines decades of experience providing regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, incident response, and advocacy representation to the energy and environmental sectors and is highly-regarded for assisting clients with their efforts to keep critical infrastructure secure.

For over two decades, we have represented clients on healthcare matters that consistently top the agendas of both Congress and the Executive Branch. As policies affecting the health care delivery and payment systems continue to evolve in dramatic ways, every segment of the industry--from patients to providers to insurers--has been affected. The firm provides strategic counsel on existing and emerging issues in the Legislative and Executive branches and works with clients to design, implement, and manage legislative and public policy strategies.

Through our healthcare representations, we have experience with:

• Evolving policy regarding adoption, utilization, and regulation of health information technology;

• Ensuring the safety of the nation's prescription drugs and medical devices;

• Improving Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement models; and

• Refining the tax code to reflect changes in modern-day healthcare policy.

Our team also has significant experience with clients who engage in partnerships with the federal government. Recently, the firm represented a major national pharmaceutical distributor who is on the front lines in times of natural disaster readiness and response, was responsible for vaccine distribution during a pandemic influenza outbreak, and has distributed medicines to the armed forces and our nation’s veterans.

When a disaster strikes, our highest priority is to help those impacted or displaced regain a sense of normalcy and security. We have significant experience assisting our clients and friends in recovering, restoring, and improving critical infrastructure systems in the wake of disasters.

The Van Ness Feldman disaster recovery team is led by former Senator Mary Landrieu (LA), who fought relentlessly and effectively for Louisiana and Gulf Coast recovery assistance in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which both struck in 2005. She served as Chair of the Senate Government Affairs and Homeland Security Committee that established a Disaster Recovery Subcommittee to lead Congressional policy on recovery in the wake of these major storms. In 2012, while still serving in the United States Senate, her assistance was called upon by her colleagues who represented the states affected by Hurricane Sandy. The experience gained by Senator Landrieu and other members of our team allow us to effectively assist localities and states that are confronting disaster relief today. Also on our team is Congressman Norm Dicks (WA), who served on the House Appropriations Committee for over thirty years, and brings unparalleled experience dealing with disaster recovery appropriations.

In addition, our day-to-day practice centers on energy, environmental infrastructure and public policy, with a special focus on federal issues. This focus lends an in depth knowledge and understanding of the operations of municipalities, cities, and businesses facing the daunting task of rebuilding. Through our experience with disaster recovery and our understanding of key programs, personnel, and processes in the federal government, we guide and support clients seeking relief and long-term restoration. We also recognize that when recovering from a disaster there is the opportunity to not only replace, but also substantially improve critical systems and infrastructure to provide resilience and storm protection for the future. We believe that well-conceived restoration improvements can enhance the quality of life of communities and prepare for future threats.

Our tribal consulting unit offers clients strategy and advice on how to conduct business with federally recognized Indian tribes in the areas of government relations and advocacy, regulatory strategy, business on Indian lands, economic development, and partnerships with non-profit entities. Through our team’s unique perspective on how to successfully collaborate with Indian tribes, we provide strategic assessment, project management, and problem solving in areas such as institutional design, organizational development, project planning, and related public policy and business considerations.

Our team has deep roots in the Native community and features both enrolled members and descendants of federally recognized Indian tribes, along with key personnel who grew up in and have served native communities for a majority of their professional lives. Our team brings cultural and regional awareness from the tip of Alaska to the far reaches of Indian Country in the lower 48 states.

The work performed by our team benefits from the three decades of experience cultivated by our highly regarded Native Affairs legal practice. Through this knowledge we have developed a team of consultants whose complementary skill sets include economics, tribal regulatory design, capital markets, land use and resource management planning, business valuation, risk management, and due diligence.

Led by the former Congressman and Chair of the Defense Appropriations Committee, Norm Dicks, we provide strategic counsel to clients in the aerospace and defense industry as they navigate increased regulatory scrutiny, complex procurement systems, and supply chain demands. Clients include defense contractors, airports, aerospace manufacturers, and suppliers.

In addition, our team is highly regarded for providing guidance on the development of legislative language and value propositions for both domestic and foreign public sector opportunities of benefit to the industry.