J. David "David" Stewart III

David Stewart is the chair of the firm's Governmental Affairs Practice Group. He is also a member of the Economic Development Practice Group. While based in the firm's Birmingham office, he regularly represents clients before the executive and legislative branches in Washington, D.C. and Montgomery, Alabama. He also advises clients on federal and state campaign finance and ethics laws.

Following David’s graduation from Washington and Lee, he worked in Washington, DC for Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. After leaving Washington to attend the University of Virginia Law School, David returned home to Birmingham to join Bradley Arant Rose & White (now Bradley Arant Boult Cummings) and work with Luther Strange, who is now the Attorney General of Alabama.

David's for-profit clients have ranged in size from privately-held startups to Fortune 500 companies. For his advocacy practice, David's representation has focused on energy, environment, transportation/infrastructure, international trade, health care, appropriations, civic justice reform, immigration, manufacturing, homeland security, and economic development issues. David also has extensive experience representing non-profit entities, particularly municipalities and educational institutions, seeking federal and state appropriations, grants and other investments. As part of this representation, he also provides economic development advice to clients.

David’s other primary focus is advising clients regarding federal, state and local campaign finance and ethics laws. David assists clients with the establishment and administration of political programs, including the formation of political action committees (PACs) and compliance with campaign finance laws. David also advises clients on how to develop effective internal programs to comply with lobbying and gift laws. David is currently co-chairing the American Bar Association’s Governmental Affairs Subcommittee that is developing an online compendium of lobbying and gift laws.