As a principal in the firm’s Washington DC office, Adam G. Suess brings more than a decade of high level legal, regulatory and government affairs experience spanning federal service, Fortune listed corporations and privately held enterprises operating in highly regulated sectors. He is known for advising executives and boards on complex regulatory strategy, managing high stakes government investigations and litigation and navigating the intersection of law, policy and business risk.
Before entering private practice, Adam served in senior leadership roles at the US Department of the Interior, where he was a political appointee of the president and a trusted advisor to the secretary of the interior. As senior counselor to the secretary, he served as a principal policy advisor to the secretary, guiding strategy across the department’s legal, regulatory and political portfolios. He coordinated policy execution across interior’s bureaus and worked closely with the White House, congress, federal agencies, states, tribes and key stakeholders. He also anticipated and managed policy, regulatory and reputational risk, while steering initiatives central to the department’s mission.
In his role as acting assistant secretary, Adam oversaw the department’s onshore and offshore energy and minerals portfolio, directing policy and regulatory modernization efforts that balanced development with environmental and public lands stewardship. He worked in close partnership with the White House and interagency leadership to advance national priorities, accelerate permitting and strengthen energy supply security.
Prior to his federal service, Adam served as vice president of government and external relations and counsel at a diversified holding company with operating businesses in energy, real estate, hospitality, ranching and natural resources. As a member of the company’s senior leadership team, he advised ownership and executives on legislative, regulatory and legal matters and represented the company nationwide before Congress, federal agencies, governors’ offices and state regulatory bodies. Earlier, Adam held several leadership roles at a Fortune 200 midstream and retail fuel and convenience store company.
Adam began his legal career in private with a focus in bankruptcy, insolvency and commercial litigation. He represented corporate clients and financial institutions in complex Chapter 11 matters and negotiated sophisticated financing and restructuring transactions. He previously served as a judicial law clerk to the US Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida and as an assistant state attorney, where he prosecuted felony financial crime cases and advised leadership on legislative and policy issues.
Drawing on this depth of experience across government, industry and private practice, Adam now advises clients on regulatory strategy, administrative law, government investigations, public policy risk and complex commercial matters. His practice is particularly focused on matters involving energy, environmental regulation, land use, natural resources and the broader interaction between business operations and government action.
Member, American Bankruptcy Institute
Member, Business Law Section of The Florida Bar
Member, Federal Bar Association
Member, American Bar Association
Author, “Supreme Court Divided in Judicial Campaign Ruling,” Lawyer, The Hillsborough County Bar Association, Vol. 25, No. 6, Summer 2015.
Author, “Court Overturns Deportation for Drug Conviction,” Lawyer, The Hillsborough County Bar Association, Vol. 25, No. 6, Summer 2015.
Author, “Tuition Clawbacks,” The Cramdown, The Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association, Summer 2015.
Co-author, “39th Annual Alexander L. Paskay Memorial Bankruptcy Seminar,” The Cramdown, The Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association, Spring 2015.