Maynard Nexsen taps White House and Senate alum for D.C. Growth Strategy

PDF

Lee Holmes expands the law firm’s government relations and investigations footprint in nation’s capital

Maynard Nexsen, a full-service law firm with 31 offices nationwide, has named Lee Holmes as Managing Shareholder in its Washington, D.C. office. A former Chief Counsel and Staff Director of the Senate Judiciary Committee for then-Chairman Lindsey Graham, Deputy Counsel to Vice President J.D. Vance, and federal prosecutor, Holmes brings extensive high-level federal government experience to the firm. He joins a high-performing Government Affairs team that includes three former Chiefs of Staff from the Hill.

“Lee’s understanding of the dynamics of Washington today makes him a valuable addition to the growing Maynard Nexsen team as we expand our footprint in the nation’s capital,” said Jeff Grantham, CEO and Managing Shareholder at Maynard Nexsen. “Many former Hill lawyers understand the issues well, but few can truly understand the institutions themselves. Lee brings that insight to our team, which adds real value to our clients who have business with the federal government.”

“I am excited to join the Maynard Nexsen team and put my government experience to work in the private sector,” Holmes said. “Most clients with business before the federal government need to know how to make their case the right way to the right people. Whether it’s a policy issue that involves agencies and Congress or a high-risk government investigation, Maynard Nexsen’s D.C. office is well situated to help clients not just make problems go away but also to create opportunities.”

While serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Holmes played a central role in some of the most consequential legislative, nominations, and oversight efforts in recent years. He led Supreme Court and Attorney General confirmation hearings, guided politically charged negotiations on the First Step Act, police reform, the CARES Act, and the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, and oversaw the Committee’s work on the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. Holmes also helped advance the CLOUD Act and major intellectual property legislation, including the Defend Trade Secrets Act, the Music Modernization Act, and the CASE Act. Over his seven-year Senate career, he handled the Committee’s authorization of subpoenas, participated in transcribed interviews, managed public communications campaigns, and prepared witnesses and nominees for high-profile hearings—culminating in his service as a key advisor to Republican Senators during both impeachments of President Donald Trump.

As a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice, Holmes managed a diverse criminal and civil litigation docket, including first chair of a felony trial, briefing appeals, and arguing in the Fourth Circuit. Before joining Maynard Nexsen, Holmes served in the White House, where he provided strategic and legal advice to the Office of the Vice President.

He earned his law degree at the Vanderbilt University Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Affairs from Florida State University.  Holmes clerked for the Honorable Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. He is licensed to practice law in South Carolina.