A former member of the United States House of Representatives, Max Sandlin is now general counsel of Mercury, a high-stakes public strategy firm. Congressman Sandlin provides clients with expertise and strategic counsel concerning issues such as energy, health care, tax, financial services and trade. He has also represented clients in inquiries and investigations in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.

Sandlin, who has been identified in the Washington press as a “top Democratic strategist,” served eight years (1997-2005) in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democratic Congressman representing Texas District 1. He was a member of senior House leadership, serving as Chief Deputy Whip to former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and subsequently to Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD). Sandlin was an elected and later a leadership representative on the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, and was one of a small group of legislators chosen for the Parliamentary Group—representatives called upon for rapid parliamentary and procedural action on the floor of the U.S. House.

While in the House, Sandlin served on the powerful and prestigious Ways and Means Committee, and also served on the Financial Services Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Sandlin was a member of the Blue Dog Coalition and was chairman of the Blue Dog Energy Task Force. He was also chairman of the Democratic Caucus Financial Services Task Force and a member of the New Democrat Coalition.