Craig Huseman Metz is a partner in Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough's Washington office. He has 25 years of experience in federal legislative, regulatory, and agency adjudicative operations. Through the Legislative Branch, Executive Branch, and private sector government relations positions that he has held, Mr. Metz has developed substantial experience in policy analysis and issue advocacy.

Mr. Metz advises a wide range of clients, with emphasis in the areas of Federal funding opportunities and defense. His broad background has provided him with the skills to craft successful strategies for enabling clients to achieve their objectives throughout the federal government.

Prior to going into private practice, Mr. Metz represented the federal government relations interests of the EMC Corporation (EMC), in Washington, D.C., for almost six years. EMC, a Boston-area based Fortune 500 company, is a global leader in information technology systems and services. In this position, Mr. Metz focused on defense and civilian appropriations and information technology related policy issues, as well as represented EMC at numerous events in the United States and abroad.

Before that, Mr. Metz was chief of staff to the late Congressman Floyd Spence (R-SC), for eight years. Congressman Spence was chairman of the Committee on Armed Services from 1995-2001. During that term, in conjunction with his role as chief of staff, Mr. Metz was a member of the professional staff of the committee, serving as a legislative coordinator for the chairman. Upon the death of Congressman Spence in August 2001, Mr. Metz became the administrator of the Office of the Second Congressional District of South Carolina. In this capacity, Mr. Metz continued to manage the five offices of the Second Congressional District for four months until Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) was sworn into office.

Prior to his position with Congressman Spence, Mr. Metz was an assistant director of the Congressional Affairs Division of the American Medical Association (AMA). In this role, he was involved with federal legislative relations and communications with AMA state societies.

From 1990-93, Mr. Metz served in senior positions in the administration of President George H.W. Bush. At the United States Department of Education, Mr. Metz was the deputy assistant secretary for Congressional Liaison, where he was responsible for maintaining working relationships with senators, members of Congress, and their staffs concerning departmental legislative and program actions. Mr. Metz was also the counsel to a commissioner at the United States Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), where he served as the chief legal advisor and administrative assistant to one of three commissioners who act as appellate judges.

Mr. Metz has served as the counsel for the minority (Republicans) on two subcommittees of the United States Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources (currently, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions). In both positions, he advised the subcommittee ranking member, the late Senator Strom Thurmond (R-SC), as well as being responsible at the full committee level for all labor, health, and education issues for Senator Thurmond.

In recognition of his public service, Mr. Metz has received the following awards: The Order of the Palmetto (from S.C. Governor Jim Hodges), The Palmetto Patriot Award (from Adjutant General Stan Spears), the President's Award of the National Guard Association of South Carolina, the Meritorious Service Medal of The Military Department of South Carolina, and the Legislative Award of the Reserve Officers Association of the United States (ROA). Also, he has been named an Honorary Washington Fellow of The Washington Fellows Program of The University of South Carolina Institute for Public Service and Policy.

Mr. Metz is admitted to the practice of law in the District of Columbia and in South Carolina. He is also a member of the Bar of the United States Supreme Court, the Bar of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the Bar of the United States Court of Federal Claims.

Mr. Metz is listed in: Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who in American Politics, Who's Who in the South and Southwest, Who's Who in the World, and Who's Who in Finance and Business.

Mr. Metz serves as a member of the United States Advisory Board of the Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; and by appointment of Queen Elizabeth II, he is a member of The Order of Saint John (which provides financial assistance to the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem). Mr. Metz is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Society, a Member of the Advisory Board of the South Carolina Political Collections of The University of South Carolina, and Vice President of the Catesby Commemorative Trust. Formerly, Mr. Metz was a member of the advisory board of The Salvation Army of Alexandria, Virginia, and a member of the Leadership Council of The Salvation Army.

He earned his Juris Doctor from The University of Memphis School of Law, where he was named to Who's Who Among American Law Students and was Vice Justice of the McKellar Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. He earned his undergraduate degree from The University of Tennessee.