Husch Blackwell partner Christopher Hughes and counsel Mark Vane make up the Austin-based team for Husch Blackwell Strategies, which was created in 2018 and has offices in Washington DC and 4 states. The publication also listed Vane as one of the state’s Top 15 “Hired Guns,” a list which ranks the top lobbyists in the state.
Based in Austin, Hughes counsels clients across the energy and electricity industries regarding all aspects of the Texas marketplace, including transmission and distribution policy and development, electric generation policy, renewable energy development, and retail competition. He regularly advocates on behalf of clients before the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. In addition, he has represented clients in healthcare, environmental services, real estate and land use, financial services, manufacturing, and agriculture industries before the Texas Legislature, and has represented clients before a number of county and municipal governments across Texas. Hughes has previously served in various roles in the Texas State Senate, the United States Senate, and the Texas Governor’s Office.
Vane serves as counsel with Husch Blackwell and as principal with Husch Blackwell Strategies. He advocates for clients before Texas state agencies and authorities, focusing on rulemaking, policy development, licensing and enforcement actions. Formerly, he served as legislative director for a member of the Texas House of Representatives, where he managed numerous bills as they moved through the Texas Legislature. His work includes issues surrounding healthcare, taxation and appropriations, business regulation, environmental matters, entertainment and other topics.