Faegre Baker Daniels' Lobbying Arm Signs Health Care Lobbyist

The lobbying arm of Faegre Baker Daniels in Washington has picked up a health care lobbyist who most recently worked at Podesta Group.

Anne Marie Polak has joined FaegreBD Consulting as a vice president in the shop's health and biosciences group. A onetime aide to former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) and George W. Bush's 2004 presidential campaign, Polak spent five years at Podesta.

"This is just an awfully nice group of people to work with," Polak said of her FaegreBD colleagues.

At Podesta, Polak lobbied for more than a dozen companies, including Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Johnson & Johnson Services Inc., according to congressional records. But Polak said she will take on new clients at FaegreBD, which counts the Arthritis Foundation, Alliance of Catholic Health Care and the Pharmaceutical Distribution Security alliance among its lobbying accounts.

Debra Lappin, a principal and health group leader at FaegreBD, said in a written statement that Polak is "an outstanding addition" to firm's health and biosciences group.

"She brings a very strong background and work ethic that will greatly benefit and energize our group and our clients on a variety of fronts," Lappin said.