By CAROLINE BECK, Alabama Daily News
Former Congressman Bradley Byrne, R-Mobile, is joining the Mobile-based law firm Adams and Reese as a special counsel in his first move in post-congressional life.
Byrne is a member of the firm’s Intersection of Business and Government Practice Group, where he focuses on representing a wide range of clients in government relations and economic development matters, the firm said in a press release this week.
“I am excited about returning to private practice with the top-notch team at Adams and Reese, which feels to me like returning home,” Byrne said in a written statement. “As a former leader within the firm’s Mobile office, I have seen how over the past several years, Adams and Reese’s Government Relations practice has grown and become a hallmark practice for the firm. Adams and Reese has historically welcomed several former elected officials to its ranks, which speaks to the firm’s status as a leader in government relations. I look forward to collaborating with a team of accomplished professionals to advocate for clients’ interests throughout the Southeast and in Washington, D.C.”
Byrne joins the firm following serving four terms representing Alabama’s first congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives and a failed run for the U.S. Senate.
Byrne was a member of the House Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Education and Labor and has worked to support Alabama’s defense footprint.
“Bradley’s track record serving as a passionate advocate for Alabama businesses, educational institutions, and other organizations makes him a great fit with our team at Adams and Reese,” said Britton Bonner, a Partner in the firm’s Mobile, Ala. office who represents numerous Alabama entities in government relations and economic development matters at the state and federal levels.
“Bradley is driven and committed to making a difference for his clients, ensuring their voices are heard in the Alabama legislature and in Washington. His in-depth knowledge of the workings of government will be an incredible asset to our clients and team alike.”
In addition to his service in Congress, Byrne is a former member of the Alabama State Board of Education and former Chancellor of the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education. He is a 1980 graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law and a 1977 graduate of Duke University.
Over the course of his career, Byrne has received notable honors for excellence in service and his commitment to business and industry. Some recent and notable awards he has received include the U.S. Navy Distinguished Public Service Award (2016), U.S. Chamber of Commerce Spirit of Enterprise Award (2015–2019), International Franchise Association Legislator of the Year (2017), Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Association Legislator of the Year (2020), Business Council of Alabama Bubba Lee Political Courage Award (2016), Healthcare Leadership Council Champion of Healthcare Innovation (2016), National Association of Manufacturers Champion of Manufacturing (2016), and Thurgood Marshall College Fund Award (2019).
An avid sportsman and small forest owner, Byrne is an advocate for the agricultural, forestry, fishing, and hunting industries, and received the Alabama Wildlife Federation Legislative Conservationist of the Year in 2005, 2014, and 2015.