Omar Franco to Chair Becker’s Government Law and Lobbying Practice
Bernie Friedman to Remain Active as Shareholder
Ft. Lauderdale, FL – January 5, 2026 — Becker, a multi-practice commercial law firm with attorneys, lobbyists, and other professionals at offices throughout the East Coast and Italy, announced veteran Federal lobbyist Omar Franco has assumed the role of Chair of the Government Law and Lobbying practice effective January 1, 2026. Franco succeeds Bernie Friedman, who remains a shareholder and assumes Chair Emeritus status.
Franco has managed Becker’s Washington, D.C. office since its founding 15 years ago and the firm’s Federal Lobbying team. Under Franco’s leadership, the office has expanded significantly: revenue and head count have grown substantially, and the client base has expanded to include public and private clients throughout the United States and internationally, such as Hitachi Ltd., The Walt Disney Co., Bacardi North America Corporation, iHeartMedia, Johnson & Johnson, Paramount Global, Society for Human Resources Management, Associazione Industriali delle Carni e dei Salumi (ASSICA), Virginia Port Authority, Hennepin County, MN and Palm Beach County, FL, among others.
Becker’s Managing Shareholder Gary C. Rosen said, “With deep roots in Florida and DC, Omar is the firm’s natural choice to chair the Law and Lobbying team. I am confident Omar will steer the vision, strategy and execution of the group’s goals as we grow. We appreciate Bernie Friedman, who has been a fantastic leader, and look forward to Bernie’s continued work with his large, active client base while mentoring the next generation of lobbyists.”
Omar Franco added, “We extend our deepest gratitude to Bernie for his leadership and dedication during his 36 years as chair. As I step into this role, we cannot thank him enough for all he has done for the firm and its clients. He has made Becker’s lobbying group a dynamic, collaborative and bipartisan team providing the top-tier client service that Becker is recognized for, and I am honored to carry this forward.”
Franco represents a wide variety of clients including Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, higher education institutions, trade associations, non-profit organizations, and municipal governments. A recognized leader in the field, he was named the 2025 Top Lobbyist of the Year by the Hispanic Lobbyists Association. He has also been honored as a “Top Lobbyist” by the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics (NILE) in 2024 and 2020 and has been featured on The Hill’s annual “Hired Gun” list of Top Lobbyists every year since 2018. Franco was also the first nonlawyer at Becker to receive the title of Senior Director, a status which equates him to an equity shareholder.
Becker’s government law and lobbying practice has been a core practice of the firm since its founding in 1973, assisting clients in advancing and achieving their legislative goals in Florida and Washington, D.C. Our team consists of lawyers and lobbyists, including both current and former legislators, former legislative aides, chiefs of staff to former Congressional members, former high-ranking agency officials, and campaign managers for numerous elected officials.
About Becker
Becker, with headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is a multi-practice commercial law firm with attorneys, lobbyists, and other professionals at offices throughout the East Coast and Italy. More information is available at www.beckerlawyers.com
