Mike R. Wakefield

Mike Wakefield is a Washington, D.C., attorney and a member of Holland & Knight's Public Policy & Regulation Group. Mr. Wakefield has a significant background on Capitol Hill, including most recently serving as senior counsel and a professional staff member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. He focuses his practice on assisting defense-related clients in legal and lobbying matters, particularly involving appropriations.

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Mr. Wakefield oversaw appropriations accounts spanning the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) with a cumulative value of more than $200 billion. He worked with senators, senior DOD civilian and military officials, and acquisition executives on major policies or programs across the DOD and all military branches. Mr. Wakefield also collaborated with congressional leadership and defense committees, along with personal office staff and DOD officials, to draft, pass, conference and enact key national security legislation and appropriations.

Previously, Mr. Wakefield served as senior counsel in the office of Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and advised on national defense, foreign policy, homeland security, veterans policy and election law. He also served as legislative counsel to Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), directing legislative strategy on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Armed Services and Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Mr. Wakefield has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in funding and dozens of bill or report language provisions across four appropriations subcommittees and in annual National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA).

A veteran of the U.S. Army, Mr. Wakefield was a captain in the Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG) and completed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Military Honors Program, where he served as senior military attorney for legislation and appropriations, administrative and international law. As senior counsel for interagency and international agreements, Mr. Wakefield drafted legislation and provided technical assistance for Congress, successfully concluded agreements between numerous federal agencies and provided legal guidance for foreign military sales agreements. While in the Army, he also served as a White House military social aide, representing the president and first lady at White House functions and events.