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    • Apr 08, 2021

Muftiah M. McCartin

Of Counsel

Washington +1 202 662 5510

  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    Muftiah McCartin is co-chair of the Public Policy Practice Group. She specializes in providing advice and guidance to clients on legislative and regulatory strategies.

    Muftiah, named a top lobbyist by The Hill, has been praised by congressional leaders for “her policy and technical expertise [that] have served both sides of the aisle over many years," for "personif[ying] competence, professionalism and courtesy," and for being “one of the most able people with whom I have worked during the 30 years I have been here." Her distinguished public service career in the U.S. House of Representatives includes senior positions with the Rules Committee, the Appropriations Committee, and the Parliamentarian's Office. She has breadth of congressional experience across the spectrum of committees and offices and in interfacing with regulatory agencies, and she has breadth of experience in private practice advising a broad range of industries that face legislative and regulatory challenges. This experience makes her particularly well-suited to represent clients effectively on a broad spectrum of issues, whether the client is well-established in Washington, seeking to establish a Washington presence for the first time, or relying entirely on Washington counsel.

    Muftiah possesses unique expertise to offer clients on intricate and often arcane congressional procedures, including the congressional budget and appropriations processes. Muftiah also is an experienced legislative drafter who can assist in crafting provisions to enhance a client’s legislative prospects and to avoid or mitigate pitfalls such as points of order, budget offset requirements, or unfriendly committee referrals. She knows how to draw on these unique and valuable knowledge and skills within a variety of political contexts to generate effective legislative strategies whether a client wants to pass, amend, or block legislation, or to understand and navigate a complicated procedural context.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters
    • Provides comprehensive government affairs services to a Fortune 50 global energy business.
    • Facilitated a coalition of wind energy companies and environmental groups on tax legislation.
    • Provides strategic and advocacy support for a Fortune 100 technology company to promote a wide range of policies that drive down emissions.  
    • Advised a major life sciences association on a range of procedural matters related to the application of reconciliation procedures to repeal the Affordable Care Act and congressional procedures related to Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).
    • Provide comprehensive government affairs services to global bio-pharmaceutical companies, including advocacy on the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 relating to combatting the opioid epidemic.

    • Provides legislative strategy to two separate coalitions working on pension issues.
    • Provides strategic and advocacy support to a Fortune 200 technology company on intellectual property policy and legislation.
    • Advises one of the world's largest manufacturers of passenger rail platforms and civil aircraft on foreign direct investment, export promotion, trade policy, and U.S. government procurement.
    • Advisory counsel to multiple aerospace and defense companies facing policy and regulatory challenges in the aerospace, defense and national security sector.
    • Facilitated a coalition of wind energy companies and environmental groups on tax legislation.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1990
        • Law and Policy in International Business, Editor
    • Northeastern Illinois University, B.A., 1985
        • with Honors
        • Political Science
    Bar Admissions
    • District of Columbia
    • Pennsylvania
    Government Experience
    • U.S. House of Representatives
    Pro Bono
    • Represented clients on extension of visa programs.
    • Provides strategic and advocacy support to Microsoft on a range of issues, including environmental sustainability, appropriations, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and privacy.  

    Muftiah maintains an active pro bono practice.

    • Provided procedural, budgetary, and legislative advice to women's health organizations to maintain funding for key programs.
    • Provided procedural, legal, and advocacy support for women's health organizations under congressional investigation.
    • Provided procedural, legislative, and advocacy support for veterans organizations in support of veterans’ and service-members’ rights to challenge military personnel decisions on a class-wide basis in federal court and preserve class action authority at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
    • Provides legal counsel to Muslim American organizations regarding enhanced visa screening.
    • Represents a family in political asylum application.
    • Provides procedural and legislative advice to an organization seeking redress for victims of sexual assault in the military.
    Accolades
    • The Hill, "Top Lobbyist" (2018-2020) 
    • Chambers USA, Government Relations (2017-2020)
    • Legal 500 US, Government Relations (2015-2017)
    • Ms. McCartin’s work on the Hill, where “She accomplished all her tasks with great determination, strength and grace" was profiled in the Congress Daily/National Journal article, “The Friday Buzz: A Veteran Departs” (May 14, 2010).
    • Ms. McCartin’s was profiled in the Legal Bisnow article “From Secretary to Sage” (June 28, 2010).
    Previous Experience
    • Staff Director of the House Committee on Rules
      • Worked with the leadership of the House of Representatives in supervising all of the major legislation that came before the 111th Congress
    • Member of the professional staff of the House Committee on Appropriations
    • Office of the Parliamentarian—first woman appointed a parliamentarian (1991)
      • Advised all House members and committee staffs on parliamentary procedure
      • Advised the Speaker and other presiding officers on floor procedures
      • Reviewed proposed legislation and amendments for conformity with House rules
      • Served as an expert on the budget and appropriations processes
      • Managing editor of both House Rules and Manual and House Practice

    Areas of Expertise

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