MICHAEL BORDEN leads the Government Strategies group, leveraging his considerable prior government experience to help leading institutions and individual clients navigate the most difficult crises involving government oversight. One of his specialties is developing nuanced, effective strategies to manage high profile and high stakes Congressional investigations and inquiries. Michael also provides lobbying assistance and strategic advice on policy matters to clients in a wide range of industries, including financial services, healthcare, life sciences, media, technology, automotive, retail, and agriculture.
Counseling international clients is a cornerstone of Michael’s practice, and he has considerable experience advising foreign clients that are seeking to invest, expand, or operate in the United States. He helps clients navigate the myriad legislative and regulatory regimes impacting foreign companies and, when intervention becomes necessary, facilitates communication with U.S. federal and state agencies, as well as industry and trade associations. Michael has assisted foreign- and U.S.-headquartered companies manage the risks or fallout from U.S. government sanctions and red flag lists, and has prepared many of these clients to face not only U.S. congressional inquiries but also UK parliamentary inquiries and related legislation.
Michael joined the firm after working for almost a decade on Capitol Hill, including as senior counsel of the House Financial Services Committee during the financial crisis and the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. In that role, he was responsible for all aspects of banking, financial institutions, and government-sponsored enterprise policy for House Republicans. Michael managed issues related to bank safety and soundness, the resolution of systemically important financial institutions as well as consumer access to credit. He directed efforts to enhance the regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and he led the broader housing finance reform efforts in the House. Michael organized and crafted legislative amendments to the Dodd-Frank Act; negotiated, managed, and executed the House Republicans’ TARP, auto bailout, subprime lending, and mortgage rescue responses; and he drafted the SAFE Act to establish mortgage origination standards. He worked on the national security review process for investments in the United States, including the enactment of the Foreign Investment and National Security Act. Michael also handled consumer protection matters related to credit card practices, data security, money laundering, and internet gambling.
Prior to his tenure on the House Financial Services Committee, Michael served as a legislative aide to Representative Jim Leach. In that role, he focused on whether Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Farm Credit System, and industrial loan corporations were adequately regulated under existing law. Michael also drafted and led the effort to enact the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
Michael has been ranked in the Nationwide Government Relations category of Chambers USA (2022–2024) for Federal as well as Congressional Investigations. Chambers USA has noted that clients describe him as “a go-to lawyer” (2022) and “very knowledgeable about the government relations process, which is often complex, nuanced and opaque. He is familiar with the decision-making protocols, which is really helpful to us” (2024). Clients have also remarked that “his strategic prowess stands out. He is thoughtful and tactful in his approach, able to read the situation and bring an interesting perspective” (2024).