Brownstein Adds Impressive Group of Five Partners, a Policy Director and Moves Into New York

Brownstein’s 2024 results show the firm achieved record-breaking financial performance and also deepened its position as the nation’s top lobbying firm.

DENVER, CO - July 7, 2025 - Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck is pleased to announce that five partners from Crowell & Moring have joined the firm. Jim Flood and Aaron Cummings join as shareholders in the firm’s Government Relations Department and are based out of the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. Evan Chuck joins as a shareholder in the firm’s Government Relations Department and will split his time between the firm’s Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., offices. Anne Elise Herold Li and Paul Keller join as shareholders in the firm’s Intellectual Property Department and will be based out of New York. Li and Keller’s hire marks the firm’s entry into New York and will establish its 14th office location. Brownstein announced its 13th office location in Tampa, Florida, in January.

Additionally, Scott Douglas will join the firm as a policy director in the Government Relations Department and will be based out of the firm’s Washington, D.C., office.

“This is a pivotal moment for Brownstein, expanding our capabilities and expertise with an accomplished group of legal and policy professionals,” said Rich Benenson, Brownstein’s managing partner. “Jim, Aaron, Evan, Anne, Paul and Scott bring a depth of knowledge and sophistication that will strengthen our firm and deliver meaningful results for our clients. Their skillset within intellectual property, trade and policy address some of the most important issues for our clients now and into the foreseeable future.”

News of this group joining Brownstein follows the firm’s 2024 results, where it achieved record-breaking financial performance and also deepened its position as the nation’s top lobbying firm. The firm achieved 9% revenue growth to $289.3 million, almost a 21% increase in its profits per equity partner and a 25% increase to net income.

Flood is an accomplished strategist, adviser and counsel to major U.S. and international companies with significant experience in the U.S. Senate and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), having served as counsel to current U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), as a DOJ prosecutor, head of Government Affairs for Omnicare, Inc., and as president of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia. He counsels clients on a wide range of legislative, regulatory and legal issues in the antitrust, artificial intelligence, energy, financial services, health care, technology and white-collar criminal defense spaces. He represents clients before the White House, Congress and federal agencies and represents major corporations in high-stakes congressional investigations before the U.S. House and Senate. Flood led the government affairs effort to create the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund for terrorism victims and three subsequent related bills, the Safe Doses Act to protect pharmaceutical drug integrity and led a global government affairs team in recovering $500 million for an international private equity fund. He has built and quarterbacked numerous successful U.S. and international government affairs teams. He was named one of The Hill’s Top Lobbyists in 2023 and 2024.

Cummings is an accomplished policy adviser and advocate with high-level leadership experience on Capitol Hill, including serving as chief of staff to Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and extensive connections in the Trump administration. He counsels clients on a broad range of legislative and regulatory issues, including international trade, energy, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, antitrust, artificial intelligence, technology, agriculture and national security, representing them before Congress, the White House and federal agencies. Cummings has played key roles in major legislative achievements such as the First Step Act, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. He was named one of The Hill’s Top Lobbyists in 2023 and 2024.

Chuck is an internationally recognized strategist to multinational corporations and private equity firms navigating the complexities of international trade and geopolitical conflict involving China and around the world. He will help Brownstein build a geopolitical risk practice focusing on international trade and national security by expanding the firm’s practices in International Business & Foreign Affairs and Government Investigations/White Collar Defense. In his practice, Chuck advises Fortune 50 companies on conflicts between U.S. law and China’s Antiforeign Sanctions Law, PRC Export Control Law, Unreliable Entity List and Cybersecurity Law. With more than 30 years of experience in corporate and international trade, Chuck supports clients in cross-border investments throughout key industries with national security implications, including aerospace, semiconductors, critical minerals and mining, electric vehicles (EVs), automotive, life sciences, medical devices, industrial manufacturing (particularly wood and flooring), power generation and water infrastructure. As an established thought leader on U.S.-China regulatory framework, Chuck guides executives on risk mitigation strategies, particularly those involving “de-risking” China exposure and establishing “re-shoring” operations in the United States and countries across Asia and Latin America.

Li is a first-chair trial lawyer and a member of a Chambers-ranked patent team in New York, with a focus on the life sciences industry. She specializes in intellectual property litigation and counseling, using outside-the-box strategies both in and out of the courtroom. Companies rely on her to navigate the intersection of intellectual property and business, successfully handling bet-the-company cases, often securing favorable settlements well before trial. Li also serves on the executive committee of the William C. Conner Inn of Court and is active in the New York Intellectual Property Law Association.

Keller brings more than 30 years of experience advising clients in high-stakes patent, trade secret, trademark, copyright and complex commercial matters. A first-chair intellectual property litigator focused on the high-tech and life sciences industries, Keller is a recognized leader in the IP field who also brings extensive experience with alternative dispute resolution, including arbitration and mediation. In addition to his litigation experience, he is a respected thought leader in the intellectual property space, as demonstrated by his numerous publications, presentations and speeches on IP monetization strategies.

Douglas is a veteran lobbyist with more than 25 years of experience navigating complex legislative and regulatory processes at both the federal and state levels. He counsels clients in the health care, consumer finance, education, insurance and technology sectors, helping them develop and implement comprehensive strategies to achieve their policy objectives. His background includes roles working for Fortune 500 companies, national trade associations and multistate lobbying operations. Earlier in his career, Douglas served as finance director for Sen. Mitch McConnell and held senior roles on multiple federal political campaigns, including Bush-Cheney 2000 and Sen. Jim Bunning’s 1998 campaign.

“Today, more than ever, industries are navigating an increasingly complex web of legal, regulatory and policy challenges. We’re all in at Brownstein because it understands how deeply interconnected these issues are—and how critical it is to approach them with coordinated legal and lobbying strategies. Our group has a demonstrated history of working together to offer customized solutions across these varied fields,” said Flood.

About Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP:

At Brownstein, clients get access to the top legal minds in the industry, powerful policy knowledge and best-in-class business acumen to solve businesses’ toughest challenges. Brownstein is a law and lobbying firm that has been making moves for more than 50 years to stay at the vanguard of its industry. You’ll find this firm at the heart of many of the most important cases, the most significant deals and the country’s most pivotal legislation. Brownstein—we’re all in. For more information, visit us at bhfs.com.