Our Team

Partners & Lobbyists

Decades of combined experience navigating the Maryland General Assembly. Our team brings deep relationships, substantive expertise, and a commitment to delivering results for every client.

Principal

William Kress, Esquire

Bill has built a profile as one of Annapolis' most trusted lobbyists, with over twenty years of experience. Bill is known for his ability to understand clients' complex issues and present them in a simple, straightforward manner that is easily understandable. He is frequently called upon to testify on his clients' behalf.

Bill has successfully represented clients in virtually all public policy areas including automotive manufacturing, budget, energy, gaming, healthcare, economic development, information technology, insurance, professional associations, real estate, telecommunications, criminal justice, transportation and foreign sovereigns.

In addition, Bill has proudly worked with a diverse group of pro bono clients. He has helped pass legislation to advance the causes of United States Veterans, Holocaust Survivors and the Amputee Coalition of America.

As a native of Maryland, with deep roots in Anne Arundel County, Bill has a long history of serving as a consultant on political campaigns. He maintains strong relationships with key decision makers at the state, county and local level.

Prior to opening his own law firm, Bill served as Counsel with a major Baltimore law firm where his practice focused on government affairs, litigation and regulatory matters. Bill graduated magna cum laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Prior to becoming a member of the Bar, Bill served as a judicial law clerk to The Honorable Lawrence H. Rushworth in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County.

Notable Clients

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, Apple, eBay, StubHub, The Maryland Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Inc., Youth Advocate Programs, The Maryland Association of Boards of Education, The Laborers' Union of North America, The Maryland Society of Surveyors, Pepco

Principal

Pete Hammen

Pete has a reputation of integrity and trust, and is recognized for his ability to bridge the political divide by developing consensus on controversial and complex legislation. His political acumen has earned him the respect of both political parties and stakeholders.

Pete served in the Maryland House of Delegates for 22 years. In 2005, he was named Chairman of the Health and Government Operations Committee and served in that position for 11 years. Pete represented the 46th Legislative District with Delegates Luke Clippinger, Brooke Lierman and Senate President Bill Ferguson, and maintains strong relationships with many members of the General Assembly. In 2016, Pete resigned his seat to become Chief of Operations for the City of Baltimore. He served in that capacity until 2019.

He is widely known for his inclusive efforts to expand access to affordable, quality health care, as well as his community development work to strengthen neighborhoods in Baltimore.

Prior to his election to the House of Delegates, Pete worked as a staff person to then-Congressman Ben Cardin. Pete attended the University of Baltimore where he earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice and a Master of Public Administration.

Pete serves on the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation Board of Directors and the Schaefer Center for Public Policy Advisory Board. He is a lifelong Baltimorean, and resides in the Brewers Hill neighborhood.

Notable Clients

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Ascension St. Agnes Hospital, International Longshoremen's Association Local 333, The Maryland Science Center, Chicago TREND, Maryland Nurses Association, ReBUILD Metro, Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore

Principal

Brett Lininger, Esquire

Brett has developed a reputation as a hard-working and connected lobbyist who delivers results for his clients. He is known for being very well prepared and having a deep subject matter expertise of the issues, no matter the complexity.

Over the years, Brett has successfully represented clients in a wide array of matters including insurance (all lines), healthcare, energy, information technology, automotive manufacturing, budget, and gaming.

As a native of Maryland, Brett maintains strong relationships with key decision makers at the state, county, and local levels from both sides of the aisle. He started his career in Annapolis as the Director of Government Affairs at the Maryland Insurance Administration. He then started his own government affairs consulting firm before joining a major law firm where he became partner and Chair of the Business Practice Group with his practice focusing on government affairs and insurance regulatory matters.

Brett graduated cum laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law. He has two amazing children and resides in Annapolis.

Notable Clients

AFLAC, MetLife, Independent Insurance Agents of Maryland, The National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors (NAIFA-MD), NRG, Brookfield Renewable, The National Football League, Easton Utility Commission, Health Distribution Alliance, The Cigar Association of America, Boyd Gaming

Lobbyist and Grassroots Coordinator

Shannon Kress, Esquire

Shannon leads the grassroots advocacy and lobbying at Kress Hammen. She works directly with clients to coordinate grassroots lobbying efforts.

In 2018, Shannon worked for U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce handling constituencies' matters.

Shannon is a Pennsylvania State University graduate, where she earned her bachelor's degree in Public Relations and Advertising, along with minors in Sociology and Employee and Labor Relations. While at Penn State, Shannon was the president of the Alpha Iota Chapter of Phi Chi Theta National Business Fraternity.

Shannon attended the University of Baltimore School of Law and passed the bar in February 2026.