Scott Brown Joins Law Firm Nixon Peabody

Major law firm Nixon Peabody announced that former Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) has joined the firm's Boston office Monday.

The firm said Brown "will focus his practice on business and governmental affairs as they relate to the financial services industry as well as on commercial real estate matters."

As a senator, Brown had the backing of the financial services industry, which contributed heavily to his unsuccessful bid for reelection last year. In 2010, he voted for the Dodd-Frank legislation only after winning concessions for some of Massachusetts' biggest financial firms, State Street and Fidelity Investments.

Under federal ethics laws, Brown is barred from lobbying for two years following his departure from the Senate. He may, however, lead lobbying teams in a managerial role and direct his firm's lobbyists on how best to target Congress or the executive branch to benefit their clients

Nixon Peabody, which employs about 700 lawyers, was created over a dozen years ago through the merger of Peabody & Brown, an old-school firm with deep Boston roots, and New York state-based Nixon, Hargrave, Devans & Doyle.

The senator, a graduate of Boston College Law School, had earlier teased the announcement on Facebook, saying he was "excited" to make a "non-political announcement."

Brown, who was defeated by Elizabeth Warren in November, decided against running in the Massachusetts special election for the Senate seat vacated by Secretary of State John Kerry. He is also working as a contributor to Fox News, although he has left the door wide open to future political office.

"I'm going to keep all options open. I'm not going to be one of those, 'Oooh I'm really not thinking about it.' Of course I'm thinking about it," Brown said in a recent local television interview.