Lobbying World: Franchisers expand team amid ‘existential policy threats’

Sarah Bush joined the International Franchise Association as the trade group’s first in-house general counsel. Bush previously held legal positions at Mayweather Boxing + Fitness, DLA Piper and Foley & Lardner. 

The association is bolstering its team as franchisers face “existential policy threats,” President and CEO Matt Haller said in a statement. Those include a California law to boost fast food workers’ pay and the Biden administration’s proposed joint-employer rule, which would expose large franchisers to labor law violations. 

Matt Shapanka rejoined Covington & Burling as a special counsel in the firm’s public policy and political law practices. Shapanka most recently served as chief counsel to Senate Rules Committee Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), where he helped negotiate the bipartisan bill to clarify the role of Congress and the vice president in certifying presidential election results. Shapanka previously was a senior associate attorney at Covington & Burling.

Scott Mackenzie joined Winning Strategies Washington as a principal. Mackenzie most recently served as legislative director for Rep. Dan Webster (R-Fla.), who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s maritime panel. 

Tim Mulvey and Randy Bell joined Dentons Global Advisors as associate partners. Mulvey most recently served as communications director for the House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Bell was previously the vice president for international government affairs at Commonwealth Fusion Systems.

James Bergin joined Arnold & Porter as a partner in the firm’s financial services practice. Bergin comes from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he was deputy general counsel and senior vice president of the bank’s legal group. 

Financial sector consulting firm Patomak Global Partners hired Thomas Feddo as a senior adviser. Feddo previously served as assistant secretary for investment security at the Treasury Department from 2018 to 2021.

Cecilio Madero and Rachel Brandenburger joined APCO Worldwide as part of the consulting firm’s mergers and acquisitions and competition team. Madero previously was an antitrust official at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition. Brandenburger previously served as a special adviser at the Justice Department’s antitrust division. 

The Consumer Brands Association promoted Stacy Papadopoulos to chief operating officer and general counsel. Papadopoulos joined the trade group in 2019 as general counsel and senior vice president of operations and initiatives.

Lobbying World documents the top lobbying hires in the nation’s capital every week. Send tips to Karl at kevers@digital-stage.thehill.com.