410-591-6014
225 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis, MD, 21401,
Subjects: Agencies/Regulations, Alcohol, Appropriations/Budgets, Ballot Measures/Campaign Finance/Elections, Business/Commerce, Children/Family/Women, City/County Government, Consumer Protection, Energy/Utilities, Environment/Recycling, Finance/Banking, Gaming, Health Care, Insurance, Medicare/Medicaid, Non-Profit, Pharmaceuticals, Privacy/Internet, Professional/Vocational Licensing, Public Safety, RFP/Procurement, Science/Technology, Taxes, Tobacco, Tourism/Hospitality, Transportation/Vehicles
I currently represent clients in the areas of healthcare, healthcare financing, health reform, health certificate of need (CON), casino gaming, lottery, horse racing, transportation, motor vehicles, rental cars, insurance, state and local taxes, franchises, business regulation, IT - information technology, environmental regulation, procurement, state contracting, bid protests, and acquisition of public funds for private programs and projects. Additionally, I advise clients on state and local ethics laws, election laws and lobbying rules.
I previously served as the former staff counsel to the Maryland Senate Budget and Taxation Committee and the Department of Fiscal Services.
My clients range from the CBAC Gaming (Horseshoe Casino Baltimore), Education Affiliates/Fortis College, Enterprise/Alamo/National Rental Cars, Maryland Physicians Care MCO, and Washington Area New Auto Dealers Association.
1) Access Holdings Management Company, LLC
3) Ashley, Inc.
4) Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Center (BARCS)
5) Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
6) Berkshire Hathaway Energy GT&S, LLC
7) Brewers Association of Maryland
9) BSC America
10) Cable Telecommunications Association of Maryland, Delaware and D.C., Inc.
13) Carahsoft Technology Corporation
14) Catalis LLC
15) CBAC Gaming, LLC (Horseshoe Casino)
16) CGI Technologies and Solutions Inc.
17) Chesapeake Shakespeare Company
18) Children's National Health System
20) Coppin State University Development Foundation
21) Corebridge Financial Group
22) Curio Wellness
23) DentaQuest
24) Education Affiliates/Fortis College
25) Enterprise RAC Company of Baltimore, LLC
26) Envirotest Systems Holdings Corp.
27) Fair Hill Condominium Association
28) Fair Hill Foundation, Inc.
30) Fidelity Information Services, LLC
32) Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park
33) Gaudenzia, Inc.
34) Google LLC and its Affiliates
35) GT Independence
38) HEVI
39) Humanim, Inc.
42) Leda Health
43) Light & Wonder
44) Maryland Academy of Pediatric Dentists
45) Maryland Association of Realtors
46) Maryland Automobile Dealers Association
47) Maryland Care Inc. dba Maryland Physicians Care
49) Maryland Jockey Club (Pimlico, Laurel and Rosecroft Racetracks)
50) Maryland Partnership for Prevention, Inc.
52) Maryland Wineries Association
53) Maximus
54) Medallia, Inc.
56) Mount Vernon Place Conservancy
57) MTX Group, Inc.
58) NaphCare Inc.
59) NAREIT, formerly National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts
61) PGA of America
62) Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA)
63) Premium Cigar Retailers Association of Maryland
64) Prologis, Inc.
66) Reed Group
67) Rifkin Weiner Livingston LLC
68) Ripken Baseball
70) Sheppard Pratt Health Systems
71) Skyline Technology Solutions
72) Spotless Brands
75) Tufton Professional Baseball LLC
76) TVI, Inc./Savers
79) Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association (WANADA)
20+ years
Former staff counsel to Maryland Senate Budget and Taxation Committee handling matters related to state & local taxes, retirement, and agency budgets
Experienced lobbyist on health care delivery systems, health insurance, and health occupations, including managed care, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, dental plans, and pharmaceuticals
Team leader on multi-firm effort to preserve the Preakness Stakes in Maryland and to enact a statutory framework for a nearly $400 million capital redevelopment effort for Maryland's racetracks
Counsel for automotive industries including new automobile dealers and rental car agencies
Lead lobbyist on legislation to authorize transportation network companies
Experienced gaming lobbyist representing lottery, casino, racetrack, and sports wagering interests
Procurement counsel assisting entities on RFPs, bids and other offers of goods, services, and construction to state & local governments
Counsels clients on state and local ethics laws, gift laws, campaign contribution compliance, election laws, and lobbying rules
Fiscal Analyst, Department of Fiscal Services (1988)
Committee Staff, Maryland Senate Budget & Taxation Committee (1989 - 1990)
Michael V. Johansen is the Administrative Partner at Rifkin Weiner Livingston LLC and the Chair of the firm's Administrative Law and Regulatory Compliance practice. Mike has nearly 30 years of experience in lobbying and legal matters before the General Assembly, executive agencies, and local/municipal governments in the state of Maryland. As a registered lobbyist, he has represented clients in the areas of healthcare, healthcare financing, health reform, health certificate of need (CON), casino gaming, lottery, horse racing, transportation, motor vehicles, rental cars, insurance, state and local taxes, franchises, business regulation, IT - information technology, environmental regulation, procurement, state contracting, bid protests, and acquisition of public funds for private programs and projects. Mike also advises clients on state and local ethics laws, gift laws, campaign contribution compliance, election laws and lobbying rules.
Prior to joining the firm, Mike was legislative staff to the Maryland General Assembly, the Senate Budget & Taxation Committee, and the Department of Fiscal Services. He is a member of the board of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - Maryland Chapter and a board member of the Indian Creek School.
1) Agency Insurance Company of Maryland, care of Bryson F. Popham, P.A.
3) American Association of Dental Boards
4) American Coatings Association
5) Anne Arundel County Licensed Beverage Association, Inc.
6) Baltimore Gas and Electric Company
7) Cloverleaf Standardbred Owners Association
8) County Commissioners of Caroline County, Maryland
9) Curaleaf
10) Diversified Healthcare Trust
11) Flock Group Inc. dba Flock Safety
12) Hughes Network Systems, LLC
13) Insurance Agents & Brokers of Maryland, Inc., care of Bryson F. Popham, P.A.
14) Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
15) KP IV Navy, LLC
16) Lilly USA, LLC
17) Maryland Academy of Family Physicians
18) Maryland AGC
19) Maryland and District of Columbia Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc.
20) Maryland Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians
21) Maryland Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
22) Maryland Motor Truck Association
23) Maryland Section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
24) Maryland Society of Eye Physicians & Surgeons
25) Maryland State Licensed Beverage Association
27) MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society
29) National Waste & Recycling Association
30) Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative
31) Office Properties Income Trust
32) Patient First
33) Retail Finance International Holdings, Inc.
15-20 years
Steve Wise joined the Firm in 2002 and became a partner in 2008. Early in his career with the Firm he was recognized by the The Gazette as one of the "Rising Stars" of the State House lobbying corps, and he has consistently ranked among the top earning lobbyists in Annapolis since that time.
Steve represents a diverse group of clients before the General Assembly and State agencies, including trade associations and companies in the alcoholic beverage, insurance, gaming, health care, telecommunications and environmental industries.
Mr. Wise's legal practice focuses on administrative law and regulatory matters. He has appeared before the Liquor Boards in 16 of Maryland's 24 jurisdictions and before the Office of the Comptroller, representing alcoholic beverage licensees on licensing and enforcement matters. Steve also represents health care professionals in licensing and disciplinary proceedings before the Board of Physicians, insurance producers and premium finance companies before the Insurance Administration, and has represented maritime-related industries before the Department of Natural Resources. Steve has appeared in many of the State's Circuit Courts, and litigated cases both before the Court of Special Appeals and Court of Appeals.
Steve received his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science in 1991 and his Masters degree in Public Administration in 1994, both from Florida State University. He graduated cum laude from the University Of Baltimore School Of Law in 2001, and he is admitted to the Maryland State Bar as well as the U.S. District Court for Maryland. Mr. Wise was born and raised on Maryland's Eastern Shore in Denton, and now resides in Annapolis with his wife Amy and twin sons.
Through both her work in the public and private sector, Danna L. Kauffman provides her clients with a unique skill set that enables them to successfully navigate the legislative and executive branches of government. She has established a reputation as a problem solver and consensus builder who can handle complicated issues in a trusted and professional manner.
2) American Association of Dental Boards
3) Baltimore Gas and Electric Company
4) Behavioral Health System Baltimore
7) Community Behavioral Health Association of Maryland
8) County Commissioners of Caroline County, Maryland
9) Curaleaf
10) DaVita, Inc.
11) Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work, Inc.
12) HealthCare Access Maryland
13) Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
14) LifeSpan Network
15) Lilly USA, LLC
16) Maryland Academy of Family Physicians
17) Maryland and District of Columbia Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc.
18) Maryland Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians
19) Maryland Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
20) Maryland Section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
21) Maryland Society of Eye Physicians & Surgeons
22) Maryland State Licensed Beverage Association
24) Maryland-National Capital Homecare Association
25) MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society
27) Mid-Atlantic Association of Community Health Centers
28) National Waste & Recycling Association
29) Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
30) Patient First
31) Retail Finance International Holdings, Inc.
15-20 years
Danna L. Kauffman, Esq. joined the firm in 2013 and became a partner in 2017. Throughout her career Danna has worked in various levels of State government and in the private sector. She has established a reputation as a problem solver and consensus builder who can handle complicated issues in a trusted and professional manner.
Beginning in 1997, Danna served as Counsel to the then House Environmental Matters Committee, working on complex health care issues, and then spent three years as a senior legislative advisor to Governor Glendening, where she worked on a wide range of issues in the areas of health, environment, civil rights and homeland security. Immediately prior to joining the Firm, Danna served as the Senior Vice President of Public Policy for LifeSpan Network, the leading senior care provider association in Maryland.
Raised in Howard County, Maryland, Danna holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from Towson University, where she graduated cum laude. In 1996, she graduated with honors from the University of Maryland School of Law, where she was an editor on the Maryland Law Review. Prior to entering State government service, Danna began her career as a litigation attorney at Smith, Somerville and Case, P.A. Danna resides in Annapolis with her husband and two children.
410-244-7000
20 West Street, Annapolis, MD, 21401,
2) American Coatings Association
3) Baltimore Gas and Electric Company
4) Behavioral Health System Baltimore
7) Cloverleaf Standardbred Owners Association
8) County Commissioners of Caroline County, Maryland
9) DaVita, Inc.
10) Flock Group Inc. dba Flock Safety
11) Hughes Network Systems, LLC
12) Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
13) Lilly USA, LLC
16) Maryland Motor Truck Association
17) Maryland State Licensed Beverage Association
19) Maryland-National Capital Homecare Association
20) MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society
22) National Waste & Recycling Association
23) Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
24) Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative
25) Retail Finance International Holdings, Inc.
28) TurnAround, Inc.
