Taft Law is pleased to announce that Becky Sczudlo has joined the firm as vice president in the Public Affairs Strategies Group (PASG). Sczudlo has extensive public policy and advocacy experience, including positions in the U.S. Congress, a worldwide public affairs consulting firm, and corporate federal affairs offices. She will work with clients on public policy advocacy and issue management across a broad spectrum of business disciplines.

The addition of Sczudlo brings significant experience to Taft’s diverse and bipartisan public affairs group and expands the firm’s Washington, DC practice. In February 2021, Taft announced that 11 attorneys, lobbyists, and/or support professionals joined the firm en masse to launch PASG, which was followed by integrating the existing Taft government affairs attorneys and lobbyists into PASG’s client service. Four additional attorneys and/or lobbyists, two of which are based in DC, have joined Taft’s PASG since the February announcement as the result of an ongoing aggressive recruiting strategy. In total, 15 attorneys, lobbyists, and/or support professionals comprise this team. Since 2017, Taft has grown from approximately 400 attorneys to 625 today.

Prior to joining Taft, Sczudlo served as the vice president of federal government affairs for NiSource, a Fortune 500 natural gas and electric utility company, for nearly 20 years. In this role, she led all aspects of its federal government affairs presence and directed political activities to advance corporate positions and views.

Sczudlo began her professional career on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee staff and spent more than seven years on the Committee. Through this role, she developed expertise in issues relating to energy policy, public lands access, federal budget process, and appropriations programs. From Capitol Hill, Sczudlo joined the Washington, DC office of Shell Oil Company as a government affairs representative. She then worked as the federal legislative director in Burson-Marsteller’s Washington, DC office and its lobbying group, BKSH & Associates (now Prime Policy), for the firm’s energy and environment government affairs practice. She represented clients on virtually every aspect of energy production, delivery, and usage.

“Becky is a great addition to our public affairs strategies group and is another example of our strategic recruitment initiative as we continue to expand our bipartisan and diverse team,” said Lacy Johnson, partner-in-charge of Taft’s Washington, DC office and member of the firm’s PASG. “Her depth of experience in public policy and advocacy and issue management, especially in the natural gas and energy sectors, will greatly benefit Taft clients.”

Taft’s federal practice involves developing impactful strategies and advocating for its clients before the U.S. Congress, the White House, and executive branch agencies. The firm continues to be strategic in its growth to expand its public affairs advisory work in the government contracting area, housing, and urban development matters, as well as the energy, environmental, defense, homeland security, IT and data privacy, and health care industries.