6-10 years

Paul joined Drexwood Partners in 2019 bringing 10 years of professional experience with him, including a half decade handling multi-state government affairs and running a U.S. government affairs operation for a multi-national company.

Adept at handling complex public policy issues, Paul began his early professional days working as a litigation paralegal for multiple law firms and working as a field organizer on a national campaign. To begin his government affairs career, Paul spent a short time in Washington D.C. working for a child welfare non-profit conducting policy research and organizing advocacy days.

Prior to joining Drexwood as Vice President, Paul served as Director of Government Relations for a publicly-traded company where he led U.S. federal and state government affairs for multiple business segments. While there he executed federal and multi-state government affairs strategies to support organizational goals across six businesses. This included managing federal appropriation and jurisdictional committee advocacy, a fifty state legislative tracking operation, and direct and indirect lobbying in over half a dozen states across the country. In addition to traditional government affairs work, Paul led the first company-wide global political risk assessment due to international expansion and re-designed the internal government affairs approach to also focus on brand development for business segments that found more value in an elevated presence among government officials.

With a broad range of policy experience in agriculture, education (Pre-K through postsecondary), child welfare, healthcare, insurance, and tech fields, Paul is prepared to tackle new and complex issues quickly to deliver results. He is passionate about government affairs — from traditional lobbying and strategy development to advocacy, coalition building, and policy research.

A native of mid-Missouri, Paul holds a M.A. in Political Science from University of Missouri, Kansas City and a B.A. in Pre-Law/Legal Studies from William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri. He currently lives in Chicago, Illinois with his wife and two sons.

11-15 years

Kimberly V. Kent joined Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A., in December 2011, as a lobbyist and consultant, to form Copper Dome Strategies, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the law firm. She will be based in the firm's Greenville office when the South Carolina General Assembly is not in session and in the Columbia office during the session.

Ms. Kent has spent her professional career working in and around South Carolina government. Prior to joining Copper Dome Strategies, LLC, she spent four years with another private consulting group representing a variety of clients, including small businesses, Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit organizations, professional trade associations and specific issue coalitions, on matters before federal, state, and local governments.

Ms. Kent began her legislative and legal career working as the vice president for governmental relations for the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance (SCMA). In this role, she represented the interests of many of South Carolina's largest companies on issues related to economic development, environment, taxes, labor and employment and healthcare, before state agencies, the governor's Office and the S.C. General Assembly.

Following this position, Ms. Kent served as the governmental affairs director and assistant general counsel for the South Carolina Department of Commerce. While at the state's leading industrial recruiting agency, she was the primary liaison for the agency between the executive branch and the S.C. General Assembly on all state funding matters relating to commerce, statutory changes relating to tax incentives and for any and all legislative changes needed by the agency to assist companies interested in expanding or locating new economic development projects in South Carolina.

In 2005, Ms. Kent joined the South Carolina Medical Association as the chief policy officer of the statewide trade association that serves more than 6,000 physicians. During her tenure, Ms. Kent served as the association's general counsel, directed all legislative initiatives before the S.C. General Assembly and the executive branch and managed the recruitment and renewal of physician memberships. She was responsible for all membership publications as well as all communications to members, the public, and the S.C. General Assembly.

Combined with her legal training, Ms. Kent's wide range of experience working in the private sector, professional trade associations and state government, gives her a unique ability to represent a variety of clients.

15-20 years

Mike founded Drexwood Partners LLC with the mission to merge government affairs with a business savvy approach. By drawing upon his nearly 15 years of experience in government and politics combined with 10 years of experience in finance and real estate, Mike is able to provide a unique perspective to his clients. As a registered lobbyist he works with government officials at the state, county and city level navigating the process to solve problems and achieve the desired results for his clients.

Prior to founding Drexwood, Mike served as executive vice president at All-Circo, Inc, a full service government affairs and lobbying firm. There he handled the needs of over 60 clients ranging from fortune 500 companies and small businesses to units of government, non-profits and associations across all sectors and issues. In addition to helping clients with their legislative and administrative goals, he provided counsel in regards to appropriations, regulation, procurement, and coalition development.

Mike was previously vice president at Chicago-based real estate development firm The Prime Group. Serving as a member of the capital markets group, he provided financial analysis, budgeting, and due diligence on real estate transactions as well as helped facilitate $400 million in financing for the JW Marriott mixed use development on LaSalle Street. He began his career in New York with Jefferies & Company on the institutional trading desk, providing sales trading coverage for corporate accounts and hedge funds.

Mike received a B.S. in Finance from Santa Clara University in 1998. He resides in Chicago with his wife, Liz, and two daughters.

20+ years

represented a major retailer for relief from outdated pricing statute
represented major manufacturers on product liability legislation
steered passage of Massachusetts Gaming Control Statute
negotiated settlement in lieu of ballot question on teacher evaluation
intervened on legislation for private non-profit consumer finance counseling agency
achieved passage of legislation providing statutory recognition for professional behavioral health counselors association
defeated attempts to expand medical scope of services to non-medical professionals

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
Issues Management Group, Counsel 1992-2013
Massachusetts House of Representatives 1984-1992
Joint Legislative Committee on Government Regulations, Research Director 1989-1992, Research Staff, 1987-1989, Legislative Aide 1984-1987

EDUCATION
Suffolk University Law School, J.D. 1993
Suffolk University, B.S. 1988

Oil & Gas Legislative and Regulatory Policy: Representing several natural gas producers operating within the Marcellus Shale on legislative and regulatory policy matters pending within the PA General Assembly and numerous regulatory agencies with oversight for Marcellus Shale activities.

Competitive Industrial Electric Rates: Assisted large manufacturing clients in enacting legislation permitting large industrial customers to negotiate competitive rates with incumbent electric utilities, paving the way for significant, historic capital investments by those customers
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Economic Development Incentives: Secured tens of millions of economic incentives for clients seeking to make large capital investment and significantly increase jobs in the Commonwealth, including grants and low interest loans, transportation assistance, rail capital and community development funds.

Business Tax Reform: Successfully led a large coalition of manufacturers and high/bio tech companies to secure dramatic statutory changes in Pennsylvania's Corporate Net Income Tax structure that had penalized companies for increased capital and employee investment in the Commonwealth.

Tax Free Zones: Successfully assisted large manufacturing client with the enactment of legislation creating several state and local tax free zones throughout Pennsylvania to facilitate business expansion and relocation.

Civil Justice Reform: Successfully represented several clients in passing legislation repealing the doctrine of joint & several liability in Pennsylvania.

Procurement Bid Protests: Managed several, successful bid protests on behalf of clients that wanted to pursue a protest without jeopardizing agency relationships.

Health Care: In separate matters, successfully represented several hospitals and the pharmaceutical industry in reversing or mitigating proposed agency recommendations that would have caused significant harm to those clients.

Mr. Gleason joined K&L Gates in 2002. Prior to joining K&L Gates, Mr. Gleason served in Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker's Cabinet as Secretary for Legislative Affairs. In that capacity, he advised the Governor, the Governor's senior staff and fellow cabinet secretaries on legislative, regulatory and policy matters affecting all agencies under the governor's jurisdiction. On his departure from state government, Governor Schweiker had this to say about Mr. Gleason:

"Pete Gleason has been a vital advisor to me, and a trusted liaison with the General Assembly. He helped my Administration win passage of many historic pieces of legislation, including reforms to Pennsylvania's Medical Malpractice and Joint and Several Liability laws, not to mention the 2002-03 Budget – one of the most difficult budgets in Commonwealth history."

From 1997 to 2001, Mr. Gleason had served as deputy secretary for legislative affairs with the office of the governor in Pennsylvania. He worked with former Governor Tom Ridge until his appointment as director of Homeland Security.

During his tenure with the office of the governor, as the Governor's liaison to Pennsylvania General Assembly legislative leaders and committee chairs, Mr. Gleason played an integral role in the enactment of the following legislative initiatives:
The 2002-03 General Fund Budget (in the wake of a structural deficit in excess of $1.4 billion dollars).
All legislative tax policy matters; including several significant amendments to the Public Utility Realty Tax Act (PURTA), changes to the Corporate Net Income Tax (CNIT), the phase-out of the Capitol Stock and Franchise Tax (CSFT) and changes to the state Sales Tax.
The creation and expansion of Keystone Opportunity Zones (KOZ), Enhancement Zones (KOEZ) and Improvement Zones (KOIZ).
Historic reforms to Pennsylvania's Medical Malpractice and Joint and Several Liability laws.
The enactment of the Commonwealth's Procurement Code.
Natural Gas Deregulation.
The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.
Land Use Reform ("Growing Smarter").
The Environmental Stewardship Act ("Growing Greener").
The Uniform Construction Code.
Workers' Compensation Reform.

Mr. Gleason's past positions also include director of legislative affairs at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, special projects director to the Republican Leader of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and special assistant to former United States Senator John Heinz.
In 2008, the Pennsylvania Report named Mr. Gleason as one of Pennsylvania's "Top 100 Most Influential People," in a list comprised of the 100 people most likely to have an impact on government and politics in Pennsylvania in 2008. In a 2004 poll conducted with state legislators, staff, lobbyists and other state policy stakeholders, he was named as "Most Effective Lobbyist" in Pennsylvania. Mr. Gleason was recently honored by the Pennsylvania Law Weekly and the Legal Intelligencer as one of forty lawyers under forty "On the Fast Track" for his work at K&L Gates and in the office of the governor.

15-20 years

Jim O'Brien, the founder of the firm, has been involved in Connecticut politics and government for the last 20 years. Jim began his political career in college by working as an intern on Capitol Hill. After college, Jim continued to pursue his interest in politics by working on several campaigns and political events and in 1994, Jim went to work in the Connecticut Governor's office as a Legislative Liaison. Jim helped organize the Governor's legislative agenda and his responsibilities included both editing proposed legislation as well as developing and executing a strategy to pass the legislation. He also represented the Governor's office on the Electric Deregulation Working Group, a group formed to analyze ways in which to deregulate the electric utility industry.
Upon leaving the Governor's office in 1997, Jim joined an investment firm. Also, in that year, Jim ran and was elected to the West Hartford Town Council where he served two terms. In 2004, Jim started his own government relations firm, J. O'Brien & Associates, LLC.
Jim received his B.A. in History from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1988 and his J.D. from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in 1995.