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American Trucking Associations said last week that Prasad Sharma has been promoted to general counsel and senior vice president.

Sharma replaces Robert Digges Jr., who retired on Jan. 27 after 28 years of service with ATA. He has been with ATA since 2000, most recently as vice president and deputy chief counsel.

ATA also announced the hiring of Richard Pianka as the association’s new deputy chief counsel.

“I’m extremely pleased to be able to promote Prasad and have a great deal of confidence he will continue to provide the first-rate legal guidance and service that our members have come to expect from ATA,” said ATA President Bill Graves. “ATA is also fortunate to be able to add an attorney of Rich’s stature and ability to our team, and we expect great things from him in the years to come.”

As deputy chief counsel Sharma had been primarily responsible for the association’s business activities, as well as concentrating on cargo claims and motor carrier operations issues. Sharma also oversaw ATA’s Highway Watch program from 2007 to 2009.

Prior to coming to ATA, Sharma was an attorney with Holland & Knight.

“I am excited to lead ATA’s legal affairs team as the industry faces the myriad challenges posed by overreaching regulatory bodies on the federal and state levels and aggressive plaintiff’s attorneys seeking ever-larger awards,” Sharma said. “I hope to continue, and build upon, the sound legal judgment and counsel that my predecessors have provided the association and its members.”

Pianka comes to ATA from the Washington, D.C., office of the firm of Mayer Brown LLP. He specialized in general and appellate litigation, handling cases ranging from federal preemption to class action defense. Prior to that, Pianka was with the law firm of WilmerHale in Washington, D.C.

Before beginning his legal career, Pianka was a language processing software developer and taught ancient history and languages at the University of Texas.

“After my time in private practice, I was looking for an opportunity to put my skills as a litigator to work in a proactive way and to be an advocate for policy,” Pianka said. “The challenge of representing the trucking industry appealed to me because ATA is well thought of in Washington and the association has a long history of doing important work for its members. I look forward to adding to that impressive legacy and being a forceful advocate for the ATA and the industry it represents.”