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After 22 years of working for a well-respected Central PA law firm in a variety of roles, including Managing Partner and head of the firm’s lobbying practice, Jay founded Capital Associates in 1994.

Jay has over 30 years experience in the Pennsylvania public affairs arena. He became a lobbyist for the law firm in 1972 while attending law school and gained expertise in grassroots advocacy and environmental issues resulting in legislation involving clean air and clean water issues, floodplain control, pesticide use, land use and acquisition of public lands. In addition to developing proficiency in environmental law during this period, Jay successfully developed and managed numerous client issues resulting in new or amended laws in the areas of transportation, health, education, professional licensure and state appropriations.

During the period of his legal practice, Jay served as general counsel to many business and professional associations and nonprofit organizations providing representation in a broad cross section of business and association interests. Project highlights include organizing effective political activities for these organizations, tax issues, real estate transactions, employment issues, trade shows, strategic consulting in the creation and development of new organizations, development and enactment of legislation creating the State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language and Hearing, and matters pertaining to the state budget and state contracting. In the course of representing several nonprofit conservation organizations, he was the guiding force during a twelve-year process of developing, advocating and enacting the Conservation and Preservation Easement Act, a significant public policy improvement over existing law that enables public and private sector interests to be both protected and enhanced. He is known for securing funding for individual facilities and programs in the state budget, and for managing long-term projects to create and secure contracts for clients with state agencies.

In 1994, Jay envisioned a public affairs firm that would combine the expertise and experience of lobbying, government affairs, public relations, law and strategic consulting based upon a team model of delivering client services in a collaborative environment. A founding principle of the firm was to assure each client that there would be no potential for, perception of or actual conflict of interest among all clients and their issues, thus enabling the synergy of the team to be applied fully on behalf of each client without reservation. Today, Capital Associates continues to embody this principle without qualification and with effectiveness for its many clients.

Jay is a charter member of the PA Association for Government Relations and a member of the Pennsylvania and Dauphin County Bar Associations. During his legal career, he was also a charter member of the Legal Section of the American Society of Association Executives. He maintains his Attorney's License with the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Although not in private practice, he remains attuned to many legal issues and applies these skills to client issues.

Jay earned a B.S. in Geology from Dickinson College and his Juris Doctor from The Dickinson School of Law. He serves his community as Chair of the Zoning Hearing Board for Middlesex Township, Cumberland County.

E-mail: layman@capitalassoc.com