Feasting on Pork & Politics
May 2016
By David Zaslawsky
Photography by Robert Fouts
There was plenty of food, music, drinks and conversation at the Pork ‘n’ Politics networking event.
It’s almost as if the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce inaugural Pork ‘n’ Politics networking event was designed for the Capell & Howard law firm.
Almost as if. Consider that Capell & Howard is the Alabama representative for a network of law firms – State Capital Group Legal – that helps clients “navigate through the governmental regulatory process, lawmaking process and those kinds of things that affect their businesses,” said Lister Hubbard, an attorney and shareholder with Capell & Howard. There is a network of law firms in each of the state capitals and the organization is now worldwide.
“We represent clients both in government and also those who deal with the government in all levels with the laws, regulations, rules that affect how people do business,” Hubbard said.
Maybe it’s not that surprising that Capell & Howard sponsored Pork ‘n’ Politics. “The Legislature is in session and everybody is very focused on our state and local governments right now,” Hubbard said about the mid-April event at The Warehouse at Alley Station in downtown Montgomery. “It brings us all to that point of interest so it’s a good time of the year for something like this.”
“I think it’s good for all of us – both the businesses and the representatives – to know the officials better; who to contact; who to work with as they work through different projects or challenges that they have in their businesses.”
The firm, which was planning to have a number of partners attend Pork ‘n’ Politics, benefits from the sponsorship because their attorneys work with elected officials on behalf of clients, Hubbard said. “It’s directly impactful for what we do. It’s all about relationships in terms of doing business so it helps that process a good bit. We’ll know a fair amount of the officials and the businesses that are gathered together,” he said before the event.
He said success for the firm “is a level of enthusiasm” and not the number of people who attend. “For me personally any place where they’re serving pork barbecue is a huge draw. Let me say for the record, the only pork I’m interested in is barbecue pork.”
