John H. Hollar

One of the most experienced lobbyists in Vermont, John Hollar brings more than 25 years of public policy experience at the state and federal levels to his work as a member of DRM’s Government Affairs Group. Since 1990, he has represented a wide range of businesses and associations before the Vermont General Assembly in the areas of insurance and utility regulation, health care, education, telecommunications, tax policy and state appropriations.

John understands the business of the clients he represents and uses that knowledge to advocate on their behalf before the legislature and regulatory agencies. He works closely with clients – many of whom have complex and challenging legislative needs – to develop alliances with other businesses and organizations.

An effective government relations strategy often involves much more than the legislature. Working with other members of the DRM Government Affairs team, John helps clients to implement effective media and public relations strategies.

• worked with a major energy client to obtain approval legislative approval for a highly contested nuclear storage facility in southern Vermont.

• successfully lobbied to create a stable funding source for adult education programs in Vermont.

• represented a major pharmaceutical manufacturer in a successful effort to defeat legislation that would have create state price controls on prescription drugs.

• represented a telecommunications provider to defeat legislation that would have created new rules governing the company’s proposed purchase of a Vermont business.

• represented business clients and health insurers in negotiating a mental health parity law that allows insurers to manage costs while providing expanded mental health benefits.

• represented a consortium of elevator manufacturers and labor unions to create a new elevator safety board and legislation to ensure the safety of elevators.

• successfully represented property and casualty insurers in defeating many legislative proposals that would have increased insurance costs in Vermont. He was also successful in obtaining passage of legislation that created immunity for workers’ compensation insurers that provide safety inspections.

• worked closely with a variety of health advocacy organizations to obtain passage of legislation that prohibits smoking in bars.

Before joining DRM, John operated a private law and lobbying practice in Montpelier for seven years, after having been a partner with the Montpelier law firm, Wilson & White for four years. He represented cities and towns on a wide range of environmental matters as a lawyer with Cutler & Stanfield in Washington, D.C. and, as legislative assistant and legislative director for former U.S. Representative Mike Synar, he was the principal draftsperson of federal legislation in the areas of health and telecommunications. He served as a press assistant for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 1982-83.

John was appointed by former Governor Howard Dean to the Governor's Workers' Compensation Advisory Commission in 1992. He also organized and led the Workers' Compensation Reform Coalition, an organization comprising hundreds of Vermont businesses and most of the state's trade associations.

John is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in 2008.

John currently serves as chairman of the Montpelier School Board of Commissioners. He has been a board member of the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce, the Onion River Arts Council and a volunteer teacher for Prevent Child Abuse Vermont.

An avid mountain biker, he also enjoys skiing, backpacking and kayaking. John is a member of the Old Meeting House in East Montpelier.