James Christian

James Christian engages in legislative and policy making projects encompassing a wide range of domestic and international issues. He focuses his practice on proposals affecting business regulation and tax issues covering a broad range of business activity, both in the Congress and before Federal agencies. He has assisted clients with mature public policy programs, as well as advised clients in the development of advocacy programs. In all of these projects, Mr. Christian assists clients in establishing and executing an effective public policy strategy and program designed for both short term and long run effectiveness. In conjunction with this representation, he advises clients with respect to compliance with Federal Election law, Lobbying Disclosure Act, and Foreign Agents Registration Act matters. His experience as an Appropriations Committee staff member enables Mr. Christian to advise clients on the budgetary and parliamentary overlays that accompany virtually all legislative and public policy debates. Mr. Christian has supervised projects which have established domestic regulatory regimes pursuant to international law; enacted precedent setting legislation which acquired privately held natural resources for public use; and provided transition tax relief for entities threatened with government pre-emption. Mr. Christian has been involved in several aspects of major debates over energy, environmental, education, and health care policy. Mr. Christian supervises the firm’s Lobbying Disclosure Act compliance program and is a contributor to the upcoming ABA Lobbying Disclosure Act Manual, 3rd Edition. Prior to joining Patton Boggs, Mr. Christian was Legislative Counsel to the Senate Appropriations Committee. In previous private practice, Mr. Christian's practice emphasized commercial litigation and criminal defense.