Covington & Burling LLP operates as a limited liability partnership worldwide, with the practice in England and Wales conducted by an affiliated
limited liability multinational partnership, Covington & Burling LLP, which is formed under the laws of the State of Delaware in the United States
and authorized and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with registration number 77071..
Matthew Shapanka practices at the intersection of law, policy, and politics, developing strategies to guide businesses facing complex legislative, regulatory, and investigative matters. Matt draws on more than 15 years of experience across Capitol Hill, private practice, state government, and political campaigns to advise clients on leading-edge policy issues involving artificial intelligence, semiconductors, connected and autonomous vehicles, and other critical and emerging technologies.
Matt works with clients to develop and execute complex public policy initiatives that involve legal, political, and reputational risks. He regularly assists clients to:
Develop public policy strategies
Draft federal and state legislation and regulations
Analyze legislation, regulations, and other government initiatives
Craft testimony, regulatory comments, fact sheets, letters and other advocacy materials
Prepare company executives and other witnesses to testify before Congress, state legislatures, and regulatory bodies
Represent clients before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, state legislatures, and state regulatory agencies
Build and manage policy advocacy coalitions
He advises clients across multiple policy areas, including matters involving regulation of critical and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, connected and autonomous vehicles, and semiconductors; national security; intellectual property; antitrust; financial services technologies (“fintech”); food and beverage regulation; COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery; and election administration and campaign finance.
Matt rejoined Covington after serving as Chief Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, where he advised Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) on all legal, policy, and oversight matters before the Committee. Most significantly, Matt staffed the Committee in passing the Electoral Count Reform Act – a landmark bipartisan law that updates the procedures for certifying and counting votes in presidential elections—and the Committee’s bipartisan joint investigation (with the Homeland Security Committee) into the security planning and response to the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.
Both in Congress and at Covington, Matt has prepared dozens of corporate and nonprofit executives, academics, government officials, and presidential nominees for testimony at congressional committee hearings and depositions. He is a skilled legislative drafter who has composed dozens of bills and amendments introduced in Congress and state legislatures, including several that have been enacted into law across multiple policy areas. Matt also leads the firm’s state policy practice, advising clients on complex multistate legislative and regulatory matters and managing state-level advocacy efforts.
In addition to his policy work, as a member of Covington’s nationally recognized (Chambers Band 1) Election and Political Law Practice Group, Matt advises and represents clients on the full range of political law compliance and enforcement matters, including:
Federal election, campaign finance, lobbying, and government ethics laws
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s “Pay-to-Play” rule
Election and political laws of states and municipalities across the country
Before law school, Matt served in the administration of former Governor Deval Patrick (D-MA), where he worked on policy, communications, and compliance matters for federal economic recovery funding awarded to the state. He has also staffed federal, state, and local political candidates in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Represented Qualcomm in successful defense against hostile takeover by Broadcom Ltd. valued at $117 billion.
Providing comprehensive government affairs advice and representation to a Fortune 200 technology company on federal and state technology policy and legislation.
Advising major technology companies on state connected and autonomous vehicle policy and legislation.
Advising fintech company on financial regulatory policy and legislative strategy across more than a dozen states.
Represented multiple political reform organizations on policy and legislation to strengthen U.S. democracy.
Represented major national legal organization on state policy matters.
Advised multi-billion-dollar pension trust fund on policy matters before Congress and the Administration.
Directly advised dozens of businesses and associations – including a Fortune 10 company – on state laws, policies, and emergency orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Congressional Investigations
Represented multiple major financial institutions and pharmaceutical companies in investigations before congressional committees.
Represented government-chartered corporation in legislative and oversight hearings before congressional committee.
Represented government official subpoenaed to give deposition before congressional oversight committee
Election and Political Law
Advising major technology company on political advertising compliance.
Represented a large investment advisory firm in successful application for exemption from the Securities and Exchange Commission “Pay-to-Play” Rule.
Represented multiple private equity firms in conducting political law due diligence for successful mergers and acquisitions collectively valued at over $15 billion.
Represented statewide political candidate in successful defense of eligibility to appear on the ballot.
Represented multiple political clients in enforcement matters before the Federal Election Commission.
Represented multiple clients – including a Fortune 50 energy company – on federal and state lobbying and Foreign Agents Registration Act compliance.
Representing immigrant justice organization on federal appropriations legislation.
Representing nonprofit Making Every Vote Count on presidential election reform policy and legislation.
Advised major labor union-affiliated nonprofit on political law compliance issues.
Successfully represented Nanticoke Indian Tribe in seeking legislation granting the tribe formal recognition in the State of Delaware.
Represented national homelessness advocacy organization to secure significant reforms to the title V of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and on other policy matters before Congress and the Administration.
Represented Prison Legal News in First Amendment prison censorship litigation, including oral argument before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
Memberships and Affiliations
American Bar Association
California Political Attorneys Association
California Lawyers Association
American Constitution Society
Tufts Lawyers Association
National Eagle Scout Association
Previous Experience
Chief Counsel, U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Associate, Covington & Burling LLP
Law Clerk, Eric Lesser for Massachusetts State Senate
Clinical Extern, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, Major Crimes Unit
Judicial Extern, Hon. Amy Berman Jackson, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Research Analyst, Massachusetts Recovery & Reinvestment Office
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