John Culberson, a former U.S. congressman from Houston, has joined Clark Hill's government and public affairs practice as a partner.

Culberson, a Republican who lost a re-election bid in November 2018, started at the firm Monday. He said he will split his time between Houston and Washington, D.C., and also do some work in Austin.

Before he was elected to Congress in 2000, he served for 14 years in the Texas Legislature. The move to Clark Hill marks a return to private practice for Culberson, who was a litigator at Lorance Thompson in Houston for 10 years, overlapping with his time in state government.

Kevin Kelly, a co-leader of Clark Hill's government and public affairs practice, said in a press release that Culberson's arrival is a “game-changer” for the firm's government and public affairs practice because of his nearly two decades of experience in Congress.

Culberson said Clark Hill has “marvelous people and a great environment” but the fact that Kelly is a partner in the firm was a key selling point. Culberson was first elected to Congress in 2000 in the 7th District, which covers part of west Houston, in the seat once held by George H.W. Bush.

He said he got to know Kelly, now a Clark Hill partner in Washington, D.C., when Kelly worked for former U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, working on appropriations and other areas.

Culberson said he will initially work closely with Kelly on strategic consulting for clients, although he is limited on the kinds of contacts he can make on Capitol Hill during his first year out of elected office. His focus will be on the aerospace defense, health care, energy, oil and gas, financial services and higher education sectors, he said.

Culberson said he is interested in maintaining robust government funding for NASA. In Congress, he was a member of the House Appropriations Committee, where he was chair of the subcommittee on commerce, justice, science and related agencies and the subcommittee on military construction and veterans affairs. He may also do some trial work or appeals at Clark Hill, drawing on his experience at Lorance Thompson.

Clark Hill is based in Detroit, but has a large Texas presence due to its merger in April 2018 with Dallas' Strasburger & Price. The firm is known as Clark Hill Strasburger in Texas.

Paul Mueller, the business unit director for the government and public affairs practice, said Culberson's hiring helps link the firm's Texas and Washington, D.C., markets together, since the firms have just completed their integration.

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