Ronald J. Klein

Ron Klein, a member of Holland & Knight's Public Policy & Regulation Group, has worked in the private sector as a business and transactional attorney for more than 35 years and in the public sector as an elected official in both Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. This experience offers a distinctive combination of skill sets in having worked and advised private sector principals and management on legal issues, as well as having served in the Florida House, Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Klein's experience gives clients an added edge in having their advocate understand their issues and concerns, as well as the knowledge, resources and relationships, developed in both the public and private sector, to help them make the best strategic business decisions.

From 1992 through 1996, Mr. Klein served as a State Representative in the Florida House of Representatives and participated actively in economic development, financial service and healthcare committee and legislative work. From 1996 through 2006, he served in the Florida Senate continuing his involvement in business development and healthcare policy, as well as being elected as the Minority Whip and Democratic Leader. During his 14 years in the Florida Legislature, he earned the respect of his peers and was viewed as successfully working with and cultivating bipartisan relationships and passing critical legislation.

In 2006, Mr. Klein was elected as Congressman to represent Florida's 22nd Congressional District (Broward and Palm Beach Counties), where he served two terms continuing his focus on business development, healthcare and energy issues. He served on the full Financial Services Committee, with membership on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored entities (Fannie, Freddie); subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit; and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. He also served on the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia (Vice Chairman); Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade: and Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere.

He was an active participant in the drafting, development and negotiation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions Accountability and Divestment Act of 2010, including continued oversight and follow up with staff and agencies. He also co-chaired the New Democrat Coalition Energy Task Force which, with a broad coalition of industry, environmental and consumer groups, led the effort to pass energy policy based on robust investment in research and development, the development of energy efficient products and services and the use of incentives to encourage market certainty. As a member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere (Caribbean, Central and South America) within the Foreign Affairs Committee, he participated in a number of issues relating to political and international relations between the United States and countries in the region.

Mr. Klein also played a significant role in the drafting and passage of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions Accountability and Divestment Act of 2010. He proposed and persuaded lawmakers to include sections in the law that provide significant enforcement authority to the United States government against businesses that violate the law, but do business directly or indirectly in the United States.

Mr. Klein co-chaired the New Democrat Coalition Energy Task Force which, with a broad coalition of industry, environmental and consumer groups, led the effort to pass energy policy based on robust investment in research and development, the development of energy efficient products and services and the use of incentives to encourage market certainty. As a member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere (Caribbean, Central and South America) within the Foreign Affairs Committee, he participated in a number of issues relating to political and international business relations between the United States and countries in the region.

Mr. Klein has a long involvement with various aspects of organizational, political and business support for the State of Israel. As a member of the Florida Senate, he helped set up the Enterprise Florida office in Israel, which advocates trade and investment between businesses in Florida and Israel. In Congress, as the Vice Chair of the Mideast Subcommittee of Foreign Affairs, he had numerous meetings and opportunities to travel and meet with government and business leaders in Israel. These relationships are continuing in his role at Holland & Knight as co-chair of the firm's Israel Practice and are being furthered in helping clients find investment opportunities in Israel, as well as reverse investment opportunities for Israeli businesses in the U.S. and Western hemisphere countries.

Mr. Klein's practice at Holland & Knight includes advising clients on how to anticipate, consider, analyze and navigate rules, regulations and compliance in the financial services, healthcare and energy sectors. Mr. Klein serves as a regular political commentator for WPBF-ABC TV, West Palm Beach, Florida.

Resident in the District of Columbia office solely to provide law related services, and not engaged in the general practice of law unless under the supervision of lawyer licensed to practice in the District of Columbia.