by Liz Daube
Staff Writer
Two former politicians from opposite sides of the political spectrum joined global law firm Holland & Knight last week to strengthen the firm’s legislative and regulatory practice.
Former Democratic Rep. Jim Davis will provide strategic counsel to the firm’s clients in Tampa and Washington, D.C., and former Republican Florida governor Bob Martinez will work mostly out of Tampa and Tallahassee as senior policy advisor.
“It’s time for me to begin a new chapter in my career and put the problem-solving skills I’ve developed in my years of public service to use for clients,” said Davis, who left his seat in Florida’s 11th Congressional District to run for governor last year. He earned his law degree from the University of Florida.
Martinez, who also served as Tampa’s mayor from 1979-86 and drug czar in George H.W. Bush’s cabinet, was most recently working for another Tampa law firm as a manager of government consulting. He said he’s looking forward to his new role and taking on more legislative work.
“You’re developing strategy on legislation, adding words to them (bills) to make them more clear,” said Martinez. He added his job is not political consulting in the campaign sense of the term.
“I’m not working for campaigns,” said Martinez. “I deal with clients who deal with the government, explaining how politics work, how best to approach an elected board. But mostly, I advocate for what the client needs from me.”
Karl Koch, Davis’ former chief of staff and Florida director of the Clinton/Gore 1996 presidential re-election campaign, has also joined the firm. Martinez and Koch do not hold law degrees. The former public officials join others already working with the firm’s government section, including former Congressmen Gerry Sikorski and Ben Nighthouse Campbell.
“Former Congressman Davis’ experience will be a valuable asset to our clients now that the new (Democratic) majority in Congress has convened,” said Howell W. Melton, Jr., managing partner at Holland & Knight. “The arrival of one of Florida’s most respected government leaders (Martinez) demonstrates our firm’s commitment to assembling a preeminent team of problem solvers.”
Davis said the connections he made during his political career will be an asset in his new role.
“I’ve spent the last ten years working with members of Congress who now serve in the majority,” he said. “I’m well-positioned to offer advice to people ... who have issues involving the federal government.”
“What I’m doing is not unique,” he said. “Some people go into academia. It varies depending on how young you are.”
Davis said his legal background helped him solve problems as a politician, and he’s looking forward to returning to the field.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my service in Congress,” said Davis. “(But) I will enjoy working outside of government for a change, helping people to keep the wheels of the economy turning every day. I am focused now on practicing law and getting my sons ready for college.”
Martinez said moves from public offices to private roles, such as counsel or advisor, are common.
He has been out of government office since 1993, but he said he still thinks like a politician. His law firm positions have been comfortable for him, Martinez said, because he’s spent most of his public life “surrounded with attorneys.”
“It (this job) is sort of an expansion of what Ive always enjoyed doing, and that involves government,” he said. “It’s just a more narrow set of issues. You can get better focused on issues that affect your client ... government is always very, very broad, from crime to insurance.”
Martinez said he enjoys much more privacy now – although he still provides political analysis for Tampa news outlets, so he gets recognized at dinner or in grocery stores.
“I’ve been out long enough now, you don’t miss a lot [from public office,]” he said. “There are some things, though ... You don’t have to drive a car. Your car’s never cold or hot, it’s always just perfect. You never have to shine your shoes.
“I miss the exitement of the issues, thinking of who you would have been meeting with if you were there ... You don’t ever forget. The mindset stays with you.”