Foley Adds Former U.S. Congressman Michael Capuano

Foley & Lardner LLP announced today that former U.S. Congressman Michael Capuano has joined the firm’s Government Solutions Practice as a public affairs director, splitting his time between the firm’s Boston and Washington D.C. offices. He joins Foley’s team of former Congressmen, which includes public affairs directors Dennis Cardoza and Scott Klug, both previously members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Capuano served as the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’ 7th Congressional District from 1999 to 2019. He was a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Financial Services Committee, and chair of the Special Task Force on Ethics Enforcement, which resulted in the establishment of the Office of Congressional Ethics.

“Bringing with him two decades of experience in the U.S. Congress, Mike will be a valued and trusted advisor for our government solutions clients spanning all regions and industries,” said Scott Klug, co-chair of Foley’s Federal Public Affairs Practice. “His firsthand experience of the evolving political climate that our clients are working to navigate, combined with his commitment to the firm’s core values will make him a tremendous public affairs director.”

During his time on the Transportation Committee, Capuano successfully protected the state’s share of federal transportation dollars. In 2012, his measure establishing a nationwide tunnel safety inspection program became law, and in 2015, the Federal Transit Administration made its nearly $1 billion federal funding commitment to the Green Line Extension official with the signing of a Full Funding Grant Agreement, a project Capuano had been working on for years.

Capuano also co-founded the Congressional Caucus on Sudan and South Sudan. He emerged as a leading congressional voice, traveling to the region, securing $50 million for peacekeepers and advocating for a strong response to the humanitarian crises in Sudan.

“Mike’s diverse background serving on committees focused on transportation, infrastructure and financial services fits perfectly in line with the current needs of our clients around the world,” said Dennis Cardoza, co-chair of Foley’s Federal Public Affairs practice. “His experience working on these crucial issues adds further depth to our growing practice, and we are excited to have him on board.”

Prior to his congressional career, Capuano was the mayor of Somerville from 1990 to 1999. He has also served on the Somerville Board of Aldermen and was the chief legal counsel for the Massachusetts General Court Joint Committee on Taxation. Capuano received his B.A. from Dartmouth College and his J.D. from Boston College Law School.

“Mike has made it a practice in his career to give a voice to his constituents on local, national and international levels. The strong relationships he’s built during his tenure in Congress are deeply rooted in Boston and Washington D.C., and stretch internationally,” said Susan Pravda, managing partner of Foley’s Boston office. “We look forward to him bringing that same passion and dedication to his new position at Foley.”