WASHINGTON, D.C. – Vinoda Basnayake, Chris Cushing, and former Congressman Jim Moran have been named to the Top Lobbyists 2021 list by The Hill, an American newspaper and digital media company based in Washington, D.C. that focuses on politics, policy, business, and international relations.

Recipients “rank of policy experts, influencers and advocates run deep in Washington, but these are the people who stand out for delivering results for their clients in the halls of Congress and the administration,” according to the news organization.

“In one of the busiest years on record for the D.C. influence world, these are the people who wielded their connections and knowledge most effectively for their clients,” it wrote.

Basnayake is a partner in the firm and assists foreign governments and international corporations in legislative and policy matters. He advises foreign governments on U.S. policy and on how best to enhance their relationships with the U.S. government and advocate their policy objectives. In addition to his international experience, Basnayake has strong local connections within the Washington, D.C. community and serves on the Mayor’s ReOpen D.C. committee. He also was named a “2020 Top Lobbyist” by the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics.

Cushing is the national team leader for Federal and State Policy at Nelson Mullins and leads the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. He is the first non-lawyer in the firm’s history to chair a team and to lead a firm office. He has 35 years of experience in government, politics, and corporate public policy issues and is an experienced political advisor and strategist, having served in leadership positions on winning presidential campaigns on three continents.

Former Congressman Moran represents clients in the areas of defense, government contracting, trade, foreign relations, economic development, renewable energy, technology, health, education, and finance, among others. He represented Virginia’s 8th Congressional District from 1991 to 2015 and served on the Appropriations; Foreign Affairs; Banking, Housing, Finance, and Government Reform and Oversight committees.

The Nelson Mullins Government Relations Team combines legal and political experience, lobbying, and business strategy to develop integrated business and government relations strategies. The 30+ team members include former agency appointees; Cabinet secretaries, including the former U.S. Secretary of Education; a former Ambassador to Canada, governor, and lieutenant governor; Members of Congress and professional Capitol Hill staff; national and state political party leaders; and state lawmakers.

Established in 1897, Nelson Mullins is an Am Law 100 firm of more than 800 attorneys and government relations professionals with offices in 11 states and Washington, D.C. For more information on the firm, go to www.nelsonmullins.com.

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