John Shadegg
John B. Shadegg (Photo courtesy of Polsinelli)

Former U.S. Congressman John B. Shadegg joined Polsinelli’s Phoenix and Washington, D.C. offices, Tuesday, as shareholder.

Shadegg brings extensive experience to Polsinelli’s national Public Policy Practice, including eight terms in Congress where he demonstrated leadership and a passion for health care and energy issues on behalf of the country and Arizonans specifically.

“Polsinelli has an established and influential national Public Policy Practice that I am proud to join,” Shadegg said. “This opportunity provides me a new platform to focus on health care and energy issues in which I have invested years of work. I look forward to helping clients in Arizona and across the country navigate these issues effectively.”

A second generation Arizonan, Shadegg was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, serving 16 years before retirement in 2010. As a Member of Congress, he focused on energy and environmental policies, serving on the Energy and Commerce Committee, as well as on a variety of subcommittees including Energy and Power, Environment and Telecom. He was a member of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. As a member of the Health subcommittee, Shadegg focused on health care reform matters having introduced key legislation to cover individuals with pre-existing conditions and allow the sale of health insurance across state lines. He served as Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, the fifth-ranking post in House Republican Leadership.

At Polsinelli, Shadegg will focus his practice on health care and energy public policy issues as part of the national Public Policy Practice, which is comprised of other former Members of Congress Martin Frost and Alan Wheat, executive branch officials, senior congressional staff and other public policy professionals.

“We are very pleased to have Congressman Shadegg join our national team of attorneys and advisors while we continue to expand our practice,” said Wheat, who serves as Polsinelli’s

Public Policy Practice Chair. “He brings tremendous value to our clients with his background and deep experience in the key public policy issues of our time, especially those related to energy and health care.”

Shadegg joins Polsinelli having previously practiced in government affairs and public policy in Phoenix and Washington, D.C. at an international law firm. Prior to his work in Congress, he served as a special assistant attorney general in Arizona and as special counsel to the Arizona State House Republican Caucus. Shadegg earned both a bachelor’s degree and a J.D. from the University of Arizona.

The addition of Shadegg strengthens Polsinelli’s Arizona office and the firm’s growing national Public Policy Practice, which advises clients on appropriations, budget, health care, education, immigration and tax policy, as well as First Amendment advertising and media law. The practice is comprised of the Federal Public Policy Practice and State and Local Policy Practice.