Tallahassee Welcomes Managing Director of Government Affairs Ben M. Donaldson

Hall Booth Smith is excited to announce that it is expanding its Government Affairs and Lobbying services with the addition of Ben M. Donaldson as Managing Director of Government Affairs.

Ben is a creative and driven problem solver with more than 20 years of experience advocating for clients’ interests in the public and private sectors. Highly skilled in breaking down barriers and cutting through red tape in the pursuit of positive results, Ben has masterful knowledge of the political, bureaucratic, and municipal processes to help clients navigate the complexities of these landscapes so they can achieve their goals.

Ben has extensive experience and respected relationships with elected officials and administrative professionals across federal, state, and local levels of government. He has a successful track record of representing clients in tort reform, equine industries, labor and employment matters, the energy sector, gaming, pharmacy risk, opioid awareness and recovery, health care, banking regulations, and many other areas of law and business.

Over the course of his career, Ben has worked closely with local, state, and federal government officials in shaping and informing successful opioid legislation in Kentucky, New Jersey, Florida, and Texas, as well as substance abuse and recovery treatment legislation H.R. 6 with former President Donald J. Trump. Ben served under Congressman Andy Barr on the Kentucky opioid task force, and he spearheaded work in Kentucky alongside Senator Ralph A. Alvarado, Senator Alice Forgy Kerr, and other leadership to help pass the first law on prescription opioid awareness and education.

Ben is actively involved with numerous legislative and business committees and initiatives related to the interests of his clients. He has served on the Congressional Legislative Equine committee, worked closely with the American Banking Association, and served as president of the Kentucky Bankers Association where he supported the passage of beneficial banking regulations at both the state and federal level.

Earlier in his career, Ben worked on several gubernatorial and congressional campaigns for Governor Ernie Fletcher of Kentucky, Governor Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, and Governor Donald Sundquist of Tennessee.

Ben graduated from Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. He also earned a certificate in Government Affairs and U.S. policy from Harvard University while seeking a Master’s in Business Administration.

Ben is a member of the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists (FAPL), the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics (NILE), and the National Association of State Lobbyists (NASL). He served on the Community Activity Board for American University, and the Board of Directors of nonprofit Healing on Saddles. He is a former Advisory Board member for Infina Connect, former Board Member for Equine Medical Technology, former Board Member for Smart Link Medical, and former Board Member for the Kentucky Equine Center.

“Our Government Affairs and Lobbying services team has maintained a reputation of professionalism and we believe Ben provides the experience to further that reputation,” said Brad Carver, co-lead of the Government Affairs practice group.

About Hall Booth Smith

Established in 1989, Hall Booth Smith, P.C. is a full-service law firm headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Experienced across a wide range of legal disciplines, HBS attorneys pride themselves on providing knowledgeable, proactive, client-specific counsel to individuals, domestic and international corporations, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s promise: “Serving to Achieve Excellence.”