Practice Focus

Prior to his joining Arnold & Porter LLP in May 2006, Matthew LaRocco was General Manager at Fleishman-Hillard Government Relations (FHGR) where he brought to his clients an expansive knowledge and years of experience in both the public and private sectors, from the Clinton Administration to strategic campaign planning and execution. His fluency of the legislative process and his use of strong bipartisan relationships on Capitol Hill have made him an expert in lobbying, coalition building and public relations for the clients of Arnold & Porter LLP.

At FHGR, he launched two of the firm’s strongest practice groups: financial services and homeland security. He has represented an extensive variety of Fortune 500 clients and has maintained a strong, consistent record of success on their issues before Congress.

Before joining Fleishman-Hillard Government Relations in 2001, Mr. LaRocco was President and co-founder of LaRocco & Associates, a lobbying firm focused on financial services. In this role, Mr. LaRocco, along with his father The Honorable Larry LaRocco, represented Metlife, the American Bankers Association, Brown & Co. and a host of other financial services clients. 

Mr. LaRocco served as a political appointee within the Clinton administration in the office of the Secretary of the Interior. As a special assistant to Secretary Bruce Babbitt, Mr. LaRocco gained an intimate perspective of the issues and policy matters facing the Department.

Political campaigns are a natural for Mr. LaRocco, who cut his teeth on politics during his father's initial bid for the US House of Representatives in 1982. He later worked on The Honorable LaRocco's successful bids for Congress in 1990 and 1992 as a field and grassroots strategist. In 1994, he served as Latah County coordinator for Congressman LaRocco's re-election campaign and was chosen as field coordinator for all Democratic challengers in North Idaho for the campaign efforts in 1996. He later went on to become campaign manager for a successful statewide candidate in the Pacific Northwest where he devised strategies to increase candidate identification, fundraising and served as campaign spokesperson.

Mr. LaRocco holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Portland, has studied at Pau University, France, and the University of Vienna, Austria, and is trained in mediation and negotiation.