WASHINGTON, D.C., FEBRUARY 10, 2022 – Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies continues its hiring growth with the addition of long-tenured congressional veteran and Amazon Web Services (AWS) alum Madison Smith. Smith spent eight years in public service in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, having advised Senator John Cornyn (Texas), who was then the majority whip, the second-highest-ranking lawmaker in Senate Republican leadership. Prior to his time in the Senate, Smith also spent time as a key adviser to two members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Most recently, Smith spent time as a government affairs adviser at AWS. Smith will join the Washington D.C. Public Strategies Practice as a principal and will continue to assist with lobbying efforts, serve as a liaison between clients and key members of government, and analyze legislation at the local, state, and federal levels.
Smith brings a unique perspective into Senate politics and process, as well as deep relationships with GOP lawmakers and staff. With nearly a decade of combined public and private sector political experience, his advocacy efforts over the years have focused on a wide array of policy matters, including appropriations, artificial intelligence, competition, cybersecurity, international trade, transportation, financial services, procurement, tax, energy, and health care.
“Madison brings an incredible range of knowledge that bridges the gap between the political world and the technology world. His demonstrated ability to cultivate relationships at the highest levels and to be an effective policy advocate is a tremendous advantage for Cozen O’Connor clients,” said Howard Schweitzer, CEO of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies Practice. “With a constantly evolving political landscape, it is more important than ever that we continue to grow and diversify the capability of our federal team to benefit clients and position them for success. The addition of Madison and other recent key additions will help Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies do just that.”
Smith served as the staff director and head of the Senate Finance Committee’s Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness. The subcommittee was principally responsible for conducting robust oversight over the Trump administration’s trade policy agenda, including trade policies such as the U.S.-China Phase I trade agreement, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement (USMCA), and Sec. 232 national security investigations into steel and aluminum. Smith authored or was a significant contributor to more than a half dozen major pieces of legislation now signed into law. This included a crucial supplemental appropriations package in excess of $50 billion in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and a landmark bill (FIRRMA) to modernize the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).
“Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies has established itself as an innovative and well-respected firm at the state, local, and federal level, and I am excited to help build upon that foundation by adding my experience and expertise in many current and new policy areas,” said Smith. “I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and helping Cozen O’Connor’s clients navigate the increasingly complex federal policy landscape.”
Smith is a graduate of Texas Christian University. He was also the primary staff architect in 2015 behind the Modernizing Government Technology (MGT) Act, which created and authorized GSA’s Technology Modernization Fund (TMF). Since its creation, the TMF helped address the government’s outdated IT posture and recently received a $1 billion emergency appropriation in 2021 as part of the American Rescue Plan. As a result of Madison’s work in this space, his peers voted him as one of Federal Computer Weekly’s “Federal 100,” an award given annually to those whose work has been deemed as highly transformative in the information technology workplace.
About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies
Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.
About Cozen O’Connor
Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 925 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 33 offices across two continents.