Eckert Seamans Welcomes Former State Director Robert DeSousa as Government Affairs Counsel in Harrisburg
April 17, 2023
National law firm Eckert Seamans has added Robert J. DeSousa as Government Affairs Counsel in the firm’s Harrisburg office. He joins Eckert Seamans after having served 12 years as U.S. Senator Patrick Toomey’s Pennsylvania State Director.
DeSousa has nearly 40 years of experience in the government and legal sectors. During his time as State Director for Senator Toomey, he oversaw seven state regional offices and staff. DeSousa, an Iraq War Veteran, also served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard for 28 years. In the Guard he held numerous positions of leadership, including as State Judge Advocate, where he provided counsel to the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania and senior staff. DeSousa also served as Inspector General of the Commonwealth during the Ridge Administration and as Chief Counsel to the Department of State.
Additionally, DeSousa’s previous roles include Chief Executive Officer of the Vartan Group, Inc., a leader in building and land development in Central Pennsylvania; General Counsel for wealth management firm R. E. Harper Associates; and Of Counsel with Dethlefs-Pykosh Law Group. He also has held various roles with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Chief of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney. DeSousa holds a J.D. from Dickinson School of Law, a Master of Strategies Studies from The United States Army War College, and a B.A. from Bucknell University.
“With national connections to Washington, D.C. and across the country, Bob is a consequential addition to Eckert Seamans’ Government Affairs practice,” said Michael McAuliffe Miller, Member-In-Charge of Eckert Seamans’ Harrisburg office. “He brings a dynamic energy as well as a wealth of experience. With our recent addition of former Public Utility Commission Chief Counsel Rick Hicks, Eckert will be able to immediately offer the experience and counsel of these two skilled government professionals across a range of legal issues and in a number of diverse spaces.”
The Harrisburg office is an integral part of Eckert Seamans, with a history of more than 35 years serving clients across the capital region of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The office includes more than 30 attorneys with multiple areas of focus, including Business Counseling, Energy and Utilities, Gaming, Government Affairs, Labor & Employment, Public Finance, Real Estate, and Transportation, among many others.
Attorneys and other professionals in Eckert Seamans’ Government Affairs practice group advise on a range of matters, including analyzing and summarizing legislative and administrative proposals; coordinating actions between executive and legislative branches of government; assisting in the development and presentation of testimony; drafting legislation and regulations; advising on parliamentary, regulatory, and other procedural issues; and analyzing political and policy considerations.