Women's Forum Minisite | Recent Coverage

Washington Women's Weekly - Carolina Mederos

Carolina Mederos, a public policy consultant in the Firm’s Washington Office, was featured as a “Woman on Top” in Washington Women’s Weekly on March 7, 2011. In the article, Ms. Mederos discusses how she decided on a career in transportation and infrastructure, the qualities of effective leadership and a "thinner" glass ceiling for professional women in Washington.

ABA Journal - Penelope Farthing

July 1, 2010

Penelope Farthing, a senior counsel in the firm’s Washington office, was featured in an article on July 1, 2010, in the ABA Journal, about a growing trend of attorneys becoming successful lobbyists on Capitol Hill.

According to the article, law firms are well-represented among the top 20 lobbying firms in Washington. In 2009, Patton Boggs was the top lobbying law firm in terms of total expenditures bringing a total of $40.1 million, according to financial disclosure records The firm is on track to once again place at the top in 2010.

Many attorneys start their careers working for government agencies or members of Congress, leading them on a path to pursue lobbying. Their ability to draft and read legislation, and navigate the complexities of government, make them hot commodities for both law and lobbying firms.

“There’s a lot of space for negotiation in our system,” Ms. Farthing said. “It is very frankly built to give input of the public.”

Maurer School of Law - Penelope Farthing

April 16, 2010

Penelope Farthing, a senior counsel in the firm’s Washington office, was inducted into the Indiana University Maurer School of Law's Academy of Law Alumni Fellows. She was among six alumni of the law school inducted, which is the highest honor the Law School can bestow on its graduates.

Ms. Farthing has extensive experience on Capitol Hill. She worked as a staff attorney for the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission. Ms. Farthing also worked at the United States Department of Agriculture, where she directed congressional affairs for the USDA's food inspection and grading agency. She has twice been awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Federal Bar Association. At Patton Boggs, Ms. Farthing specializes in public policy and lobbying, appropriations and municipal representation.

"Our newest additions to the Academy of Law Alumni Fellows have achieved success in a number of professions," said Lauren Robel, dean and Val Nolan Professor of Law. "And the inductees have also gone above and beyond to use their talents to make the world a better place. We are honored to call them alumni of our School."

Business Week - Rosemary Becchi

March 8, 2010

Rosemary Becchi, a partner in the firm’s Washington office, was quoted by Business Week on Monday, March 8, 2010, in an article about how lobbyists for small businesses, construction companies, manufacturers and other trade groups are pressing Congress to reinstate the federal estate tax that they tried to kill.

The groups have changed positions in a bid to head off higher taxes on the horizon: Unless Congress acts, current law would raise the tax next year to 55 percent on estates after they exceed $2 million per couple, from nothing this year, according to Business Week.

The clock is ticking on estate-tax changes because, as 2011 nears, so does the prospect that congressional inaction would start to bring in billions of dollars to help reduce trillion- dollar deficits.

“That’s the real fear,” Ms. Becchi told Business Week. “Then it becomes extremely difficult to change it.”

National Journal - Norma Krayem

February 6, 2010

Norma Krayem, a senior public policy advisor in the firm’s Washington office, was quoted in National Journal magazine on February 6, 2010, in an article about what it takes to be an effective lobbyist on Capitol Hill.

Ms. Krayem listed among the nation’s top lobbyists for her smooth style.

Being able to focus under pressure is key to success, Ms. Krayem told National Journal. Lobbying can be a challenging pursuit, she said. “It’s a four dimensional chess game played on water with no chess pieces.”

Ms. Krayem told the magazine that it is important to think fast, to consider the mind-set of members and staffers and to speak their language.

“One of the most important things we do is try to translate what a client wants from private-sectorspeak,” Ms. Krayem said. “If your audience doesn’t understand what you’re talking about, even if it’s the smartest thing that’s ever been said, it doesn’t matter.”

Ms. Krayem cited jargon such as “ROI” as an example.

“It’s not that the government doesn’t understand ‘return on investment.’ It’s just [that] their decisions are affected by other externalities,” she said. “Depending on who you’re talking to, you have to phrase it a different way.”