Dentons hires McCarthy ally Denham to lobby team from K&L Gates

Feb 1 (Reuters) – Dentons has hired former Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham to join its lobbying practice, the mega-law firm said Wednesday.

Denham, who lost re-election to his California U.S. House seat in 2018, has been a lobbyist with rival firm K&L Gates since 2019. While in office, Denham was an ally of House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a fellow California Republican.

Denham will be a senior policy director at Dentons. He will work alongside fellow former Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley, who joined Dentons last year after a stint with competitor Squire Patton Boggs.

“Jeff comes to Dentons with a deep understanding of policymaking, extensive relationships on the Hill, and a strong background in delivering for clients,” Crowley said in a statement.

Fellow K&L Gates staffer Jordan Cooper is also joining the firm, Dentons said.

A K&L Gates spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lobbyists in Washington are coming off multiple record-setting years, driven by pandemic response bills and President Joe Biden’s legislative priorities.

While a divided Congress might result in fewer bills being passed, lobbyists are expecting to work on topics including oversight of technology companies and China.

Reporting by Jacqueline Thomsen in Washington

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