Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC announced on July 16 the further growth of its Government Relations Practice Group in its Washington, DC office with the addition of Jimmy Broughton, former chief of staff to North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms.
“Jimmy Broughton has worked hard to make North Carolina, and the United States, a better place for all of its citizens,” said former North Carolina Governor and Womble Carlyle Partner, Jim Hunt. “I respect and appreciate all of his public service and am delighted that he’ll be joining our team of highly capable folks who produce great results for our clients on Capitol Hill, as well as with state and local levels of government.”
Broughton is a strong addition to the firm’s Government Relations Practice Group, which helps clients deal effectively with all levels and branches of government — federal, state and local. The team includes Jim Hunt; Burley Mitchell, former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice; Jeff Lane, former chief of staff to Senator John Edwards and administrative assistant to Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle; and Ashley Thrift, former chief of staff to Senator Fritz Hollings.
Broughton joins Womble Carlyle from a DC-based lobbying firm where he’s worked as a consultant since January. Prior to that, Broughton spent nearly 12 years in the office of Senator Helms where he served as the Senator’s principle North Carolina media contact and conducted many interviews on his behalf. In addition to handling various appropriation requests, Broughton worked closely with the White House in recommending all of President Bush’s federal appointments in North Carolina. He was especially involved in the nominations of three U.S. Attorneys as well as three U.S. Marshals, working closely with the White House and Senate Judiciary Committee throughout the confirmation process. Broughton also worked with the Bush administration on behalf of the North Carolinians nominated by the President for U.S. Ambassadorships.
“Womble Carlyle has an excellent reputation and I am excited about the opportunity to continue working with folks who have issues before the federal government,” Broughton said. “Senator Helms trained us well and I look forward to putting that solid training to work on behalf of our clients.”
Additional top members of the Government Relations Practice Group in Washington, DC include Walker Nolan, who was congressional liaison for the White House Energy Task Force; chief counsel to the Energy and Nuclear Proliferation Subcommittee, which was chaired by Senator John Glenn; and chief counsel to Senator Sam Ervin’s Judiciary Subcommittee. Kevin Jones previously served as legislative assistant to former Senator Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr. and later spent several years doing legislative work at a Washington, DC law firm.
“Jimmy Broughton is recognized as one of the brightest and most effective top Senatorial assistants in Washington,” Senator Helms said. “It’s good news for everyone involved that the distinguished North Carolina law firm of Womble Carlyle has added Jimmy Broughton to its group of talented goverment relations practitioners. Needless to say, I am proud of Jimmy and wish him well.”
