15-20 years

Maritime
Assisting a major cruise shipping company obtain legislation permitting the company to operate U.S.-flag ships in coastwise service, creating thousands of American jobs and generating millions of dollars in economic activity.
Helping a major tanker operator obtain legislation permitting long-term participation in the Maritime Security Program for its U.S.-flag tankers.
Representing the largest U.S. maritime coalition in history in successfully defending the maritime cabotage laws.
Assisting a major cruise line obtain legal authority, through legislation and regulation, that permits increased flexibility in hiring of certain crew on board its U.S.-flag vessels.
Advising a major container shipping company and a major tank vessel operator regarding their U.S.-flag operations and related Department of Defense sealift capabilities.
Represented maritime clients in successfully persuading Congress to appropriate funding for the Title XI shipbuilding loan guarantee program.
Assisted in the development and enactment of a multi-year, multi-million dollar program for dual use military-commercial sealift capability with the U.S. Transportation Command.
Worked closely with maritime regulatory agency to obtain necessary approvals for the transfers of Maritime Security Program agreements to major container shipping company.
Advising a major ship classification society on various public policy matters.

Energy
Advising a U.S. offshore energy company on legislative and regulatory matters related to production of oil and gas on the Outer Continental Shelf of the U.S.
Counseling maritime companies and associations on impacts of increased crude oil and natural gas production in the U.S.
Assisted coalition in obtaining legislation permitting the export of Alaska North Slope crude oil.
Transportation
Assisted a major Class I railroad in obtaining approximately $4 million that was earmarked for the development and deployment of positive train control systems designed to improve safety and security, as well as productivity, for rail operations.
Counseling to major rail supplier regarding legislative and regulatory efforts to increase the use of technologies such as communications-based train control systems and electronically-controlled pneumatic braking systems.
Serving as primary outside government relations advisor to trailer manufacturing trade organization.

Fisheries
Helping a West Coast fisherman's association defeat legislative efforts to grant harvesting quota shares to fish processors and to obtain language regarding ongoing efforts to rationalize the fishery.
Representing a major conservation organization on efforts to improve fisheries management and conservation provisions, including specifically the implementation of catch share programs.
Assisting conservation interests in defeating legislative initiatives in appropriations and authorizing bills that could result in overfishing or overcapitalizing in U.S. fisheries.
Providing policy and political advice to fishermen and conservation organizations regarding fisheries management and conservation measures, including specifically measures contained in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

Mr. Conner served as a staff assistant for the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the U.S. House of Representatives under its ranking member, Congressman Bob Davis (R-MI)

Mr. Conner's practice focuses on federal government relations, with a substantive focus on transportation (with a specialty in maritime), energy and resource management. He represents clients on a range of matters, including:

Matters relating to domestic and international shipping;
Programs relating to military sealift, including the Maritime Security Program;
Management of federal fisheries under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act;
Regulation of motor vehicles, including light and medium-duty trailers;
Policies relating to domestic energy, including specifically transportation of energy;Programs related to transportation infrastructure;
Issues involving port development and maritime security;
Development of international trade agreements and implementing legislation;
and Securing federal appropriations and federal program funding.

Mr. Conner has extensive legislative experience in general public policy analysis and planning, strategic counseling, and coalition management and coordination. He also assists clients in incorporating public policy into their strategic planning, integrating public relations into their legal and advocacy activities, and legislative drafting.

His principal representations include fishermen and other fishery stakeholders, cargo and passenger vessel operators, a ship classification society, transportation product manufacturers and service providers, energy companies, and a leading coalition of U.S. maritime interests.

He has worked with the Department of Transportation (including the office of the Secretary, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and the Maritime Administration), the Department of Commerce (specifically, the office of the Secretary, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and National Marine Fisheries Service), the Department of Homeland Security (U.S. Coast Guard), and the Department of Defense.

Mr. Conner is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the International Propeller Club of the United States and is a past president of the Washington, D.C. chapter of the International Propeller Club.

Mr. Conner served as a staff assistant for the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the U.S. House of Representatives under its ranking member, Congressman Bob Davis (R-MI).

Mr. Valentine represents a wide variety of clients in a broad range of legislative, regulatory, administrative, litigation and government enforcement matters before the federal government. His clients include major corporations, trade associations and business coalitions. He has also represented a number of prominent individuals, including a federal judge in her personal capacity and the prime minister of a foreign government.

Jim Sartucci, a government affairs counselor in K&L Gates' Washington, DC office, has over a decade of experience lobbying federal agencies (especially the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Maritime Commission, Maritime Administration, and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration) and the Congress on behalf of a wide variety of clients. He has extensive experience working with clients in the maritime, transportation, fisheries, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) export industries.

Mr. Sartucci is recognized as one of a handful of maritime policy experts in Washington, DC and has been involved in the development and enactment of virtually all significant maritime legislation since 1994. He coordinated an industry coalition that led to enactment of reforms to Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund spending and is a key member of another industry coalition advocating for reforming the regulation of ballast water and discharges incidental to the normal operation from commercial vessels. He has successfully advocated on behalf of several individual clients on a wide variety of policy and legislative matters.

During his Congressional staff career, Mr. Sartucci played an integral role in enacting significant authorizing legislation for nearly every mode of transportation. This includes establishing and reauthorizing the Maritime Security Program, reforming ocean shipping regulation, enacting multiple Water Resources Reform and Development Acts, comprehensive surface transportation authorization bills, Federal Aviation Administration and NASA reauthorization bills, and enacting pipeline safety, Amtrak reauthorization, and rail infrastructure bills. He also helped negotiate and shepherd through the Congress legislation establishing the Department of Homeland Security, several Maritime Transportation Security Acts, natural disaster preparedness and response reform legislation, the establishment of offshore oil production revenue sharing with coastal states, and two reauthorizations of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act.

Eli M. Schooley is an associate in the firm's Washington, D.C. office, where he is a member of the public policy and law practice group. Mr. Schooley focuses his practice on federal legislative and regulatory policy issues related to government ethics, financial services, tax, appropriations, and trade.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Schooley served as legislative intern to U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (KS), focusing on higher education issues in his capacity there. In college, while student body president at Kansas State University, he worked closely with the university's office of governmental affairs to organize and participate in various state and federal lobbying events, aimed at securing greater federal funding for the university, gaining support for enhanced student research experiences, and the enactment of the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act. He is an active member of the K&L Gates' LGBTQ affinity group. Mr. Schooley graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in May 2017, and joined the firm shortly thereafter.