Richard L. Spees is the Akerman Government Affairs & Public Policy Practice Group Chair and serves as the office managing partner of the Washington, D.C. office. He has over 25 years of experience representing clients before the federal government. Rick represents a wide range of public and private clients including cities, counties, transit properties, science centers, educational institutions, corporations, and hospital systems. Before starting his legal practice, Rick served in a number of positions in the U.S. Senate, including three years as the Staff Director of the Senate Commerce, Justice, and State and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. He also served on the Senate Judiciary Committee and as a Legislative Assistant for Senator Paul Laxalt (R-Nevada). J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1979 B.A., University of California, Berkeley, 1976; Economics