Former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Michigan is joining a law and lobbying firm in Washington, D.C.

Dickstein Shapiro LLP announced Tuesday that the Holland Republican has been hired as a senior adviser.

Hoekstra plans to offer legislative and regulatory counseling in the areas of national security, defense, foreign relations, intelligence and international business, as well education and labor.

He skipped a 2010 re-election bid for his 2nd District congressional seat in west Michigan so he could run for governor, but lost to fellow Republican Rick Snyder.

During his 18 years in Congress, Hoekstra was the top-ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee and served as chairman some years.

At Dickstein Shapiro, the 57-year-old will be working with former House Speaker Dennis Hastert and former Arkansas Sen. Tim Hutchinson.