Ice Miller Hires Oyster, Heaton

Law firm Ice Miller LLP announced two new hires: Matt Oyster as Of Counsel in the Columbus office, where he will specialize in gaming, liquor and cannabis legal matters; and Joe Heaton as senior director of public affairs in the Washington, D.C. office.

Oyster previously was vice president of compliance for PointsBet USA, and also was general counsel and chief ethics officer for the Ohio Casino Control Commission, and an Ohio assistant attorney general in the Charitable Law Section.

“Matt’s unique understanding of gaming issues from the client’s perspective immediately creates additional synergies within the work we do and within our firm. His demeanor, skillset and professional experience could not be a more welcome addition or come at a better time,” said John Oberle, a partner in Ice Miller’s Ohio Government Law Group.

Heaton’s experience includes time working for U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Centerville). He was previously executive director of government affairs for Forian Inc., a software, data and analytics firm for health care, cannabis and government entities, and also served as senior director of federal affairs for the Beer Institute.

“Joe’s professional background and ability to solve complex problems will not only be an incredible asset to our team but also to our firm’s culture,” said Ice Miller principal Tim Day, who is based in the firm’s Ohio and Washington D.C. offices. “As we grow our presence in the alcoholic beverage, cannabis, tax, defense and life sciences sectors, among others, Joe’s ability to provide strategic counsel and achieve results for our clients will be a significant addition to Ice Miller.”