Washington, DC / Chicago, IL—Dentons, the world's leading global law firm, today announced that David Hirsh, Simon Steel, James Guinivan and Matthew Ludwig will join the Firm’s Federal Regulatory and Compliance practice. Hirsh and Steel join as partners; Guinivan and Ludwig join as counsel. Hirsh, Steel and Guinivan will be based in Washington, DC, with Ludwig based in the Firm's Chicago office. They will advise clients on transportation-related and other regulatory issues across the US and internationally.

Hirsh is a leading regulatory and business lawyer with a focus on transportation. His practice is dedicated to creating efficient and productive long-term commercial relationships within the current regulatory framework and managing transitions in dynamic business and legal environments. Hirsh has extensive and diverse experience with rail mergers, acquisitions, rate and competition issues, safety compliance, licensing, construction and environmental issues. He regularly represents public and private entities in commercial, administrative and litigation matters, often working with in-house management and outside consultants to define and achieve his clients' business goals. Hirsh will be head of the Firm’s US Transportation and Rail practice and a leader of the Global Transportation sector.

"David, Simon, James and Matthew are exceptional lawyers with talents that complement our growing Federal Regulatory and Compliance practice," said Mike McNamara, US CEO of Dentons. "Transportation is a key sector at Dentons and their arrival to the Firm is in direct response to our clients' growing needs to address their regulatory roadblocks in this sector across the world. They will be an asset to Dentons' Federal Regulatory and Compliance practice."

Steel represents clients before federal courts and agencies on matters of constitutional law, appellate and complex litigation, economic and environmental regulation, and antitrust and intellectual property litigation.  He has extensive experience representing and advising clients in the transportation, energy and technology industries.  He is a former US Supreme Court clerk and special counsel at the Federal Trade Commission.

Guinivan focuses on administrative and appellate work for companies in regulated industries including transportation and energy. He counsels clients on the economic implications of regulatory transactions, federal preemption of state and local law, regulatory hurdles of entering or withdrawing from key transportation markets, common carrier obligations, rail abandonments, the preservation of rail corridors, and the application of federal environmental and labor laws to transportation activities.

Ludwig focuses primarily on administrative, regulatory and commercial matters in the rail and transportation sectors.  He also advises clients on a wide range of issues, including the limits of federal jurisdiction and preemption, the effects of regulatory legislation and rulemakings, structuring transactions to limit regulatory risk, and commercial negotiations and litigation between freight railroads and shippers.

"We chose Dentons because our clients align with Firm's presence across the US and globally, giving us the depth and breadth to handle their sophisticated regulatory and litigation matters," said Hirsh. "We are eager to work in tandem with the Firm's US and global colleagues to tackle significant transportation and other issues that have enormous economic and social implications across the world."

Dentons' Federal Regulatory and Compliance practice includes more than 50 lawyers and professionals who navigate the critical intersection of business, law, regulation, policy and politics. The practice focuses on compliance and risk management, regulatory enforcement and advocacy, export controls, trade, WTO and customs, and highly regulated industries, including consumer products, financial institutions, media, telecommunications, and transportation.

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