Butler Associates is a Manhattan strategic communications firm founded in 1996 by Thomas P. Butler, known for public affairs, legal, financial, environmental and crisis communications. O'Dwyer's describes it as one of New York's top agencies for legal, business, financial, professional services, public affairs, environmental and crisis management results. The independent, founder-led firm has won PRSA New York Big Apple Awards, and Butler has been named to Crain's New York Business lists of leaders in public relations and marketing.
Originally published May 2020. Updated November 4, 2026.
Summary
- Thomas P. Butler founded the agency in 1996 and is its president, and the firm is independent and operates as Butler Associates, LLC.
- PRSA New York recognized its work with Big Apple Awards, including Best Reputation Brand Management Campaign (2021), Best Legal Marketing Communications Campaign (2018 and 2020) and Best of the Best (2019), per the firm's O'Dwyer's statement.
- A 2023 firm release says it is among New York's top 10 in environmental, sustainability and greentech PR, real estate and construction, and nonprofit PR, and top 20 in financial and legal communications.
- Michael Clendenin, who spent 20 years as director of media relations at Consolidated Edison, joined the firm in March 2022.
- O'Dwyer's lists clients including Alma Realty, Avison Young-NY, Barasch McGarry and the Building Trade Employers Association of New York.
Contents
- Company info
- What is Butler Associates?
- Who founded and leads Butler Associates?
- What does Butler Associates do?
- Which clients has Butler Associates worked with?
- What recognition has Butler Associates received?
- What is the timeline of Butler Associates?
- How does Butler Associates compare with other New York PR firms?
- Frequently asked questions
Company info
- Founded: 1996, New York, by Thomas P. Butler
- Headquarters: Manhattan, New York (52 Vanderbilt Avenue, Suite 1000, per O'Dwyer's)
- Leadership: Thomas P. Butler, president and founder
- Ownership: Independent and founder-led, operating as Butler Associates, LLC
- Specialty: Legal, business, financial, professional services, public affairs, environmental and crisis communications
- Notable clients: Building Trade Employers Association of New York, Clean Energy Jobs Coalition New York, Knights of Saint Patrick of New York City, New York City Fire Pension Fund and New York State Pipe Trades (per O'Dwyer's)
- Recognition: PRSA New York Big Apple Awards, including Best Reputation Brand Management Campaign (2021), Best Legal Marketing Communications Campaign (2018 and 2020) and Best of the Best (2019); Thomas Butler named to Crain's New York Business leaders lists
- Website: butlerpr.com
- Last verified: November 4, 2026, against O'Dwyer's, the firm's 2023 release on EIN Presswire, PRSA-NY announcements and case-study directories
What is Butler Associates?
Butler Associates is a Manhattan strategic communications firm founded in 1996 by Thomas P. Butler. O'Dwyer's quotes the firm as saying it serves clients across the nation and builds brands for CEOs and organizational leaders who are highly visible and respected opinion leaders. It is independent and founder-led, and campaigns from the firm have frequently led the New York market with top nominations and awards at the PRSA New York Big Apple gala, according to its 2023 release.
Who founded and leads Butler Associates?
Thomas P. Butler founded Butler Associates and is its president, according to O'Dwyer's, which lists him as president and founder of Butler Associates, LLC. Butler is described by Irish America, which named him to its 2025 Business 100, as a recognized expert in strategy and message development and in legal, crisis and earned media communications, and as having been named several times to Crain's New York Business's Notable Leaders in Advertising, Marketing and PR and City & State's Public Relations Power 50.
The firm describes its team as former journalists, government press secretaries, corporate communications directors and political campaign managers. In March 2022, O'Dwyer's reported that Michael Clendenin, who served as director of media relations in a 20-year stint at Consolidated Edison, joined Butler Associates to handle energy, infrastructure, environmental and real estate clients. He joined Con Ed in 2000 from the New York City Council, where he was director of communications, and Butler called him a consummate professional, highly respected by the New York press corps and C-suite leaders.
What does Butler Associates do?
Butler Associates provides media relations and strategic communications, and its O'Dwyer's entry describes campaigns ranging from shareholder proxy contests and mergers and acquisitions to messaging for high-profile litigation, crisis, public affairs and public safety. The firm says it spotlights client issues in leading news publications and works to prevent and defuse bad news. EPR's public affairs, crisis PR and corporate communications sections cover those disciplines.
Which clients has Butler Associates worked with?
| Client | Category | Source |
|---|
| Building Trade Employers Association of New York | Construction employers | O'Dwyer's |
| Clean Energy Jobs Coalition New York | Clean energy | O'Dwyer's |
| New York City Fire Pension Fund, New York State Pipe Trades | Public sector and labor | O'Dwyer's |
| Knights of Saint Patrick of New York City | Civic organization | O'Dwyer's |
| Alma Realty, Avison Young-NY | Real estate | O'Dwyer's |
| Americasa Mortgage Bankers, Barasch McGarry P.C. | Financial and legal services | O'Dwyer's |
| Uniformed Firefighters Association, New York Junior Tennis League, Hunts Point Cooperative Market | Public safety, youth sports and food distribution | Case-study listing |
| Patriot Bank, ProtectSeniors.Org, Windham Mountain Resort, Siebert Cisneros Shank | Banking, advocacy, hospitality and finance | Case-study listing |
What recognition has Butler Associates received?
Butler Associates has a long record at PRSA New York's Big Apple Awards. Its 2021 campaign "A Pandemic of R-E-S-P-E-C-T for NYC's Medical First Responders" was a recipient at the 2021 Big Apple Awards, and the firm won in the business-to-business and legal marketing and communications category in 2018. At the 2016 awards, PR News reported that a crowd favorite was Butler Associates' work for the Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York.
According to its O'Dwyer's statement, the firm won PRSA New York's Best Reputation Brand Management Campaign in 2021, Best Legal Marketing Communications Campaign in 2018 and 2020, and Best of the Best in 2019. A 2023 firm release says Crain's New York Business again named Butler one of its 2023 leaders in public relations, and that the firm is highly ranked annually by O'Dwyer's and is among New York's top 10 in environmental, sustainability and greentech PR, real estate, construction and development, and the nonprofit sector, and one of the top 20 in financial and investor communications and legal and professional services.
What is the timeline of Butler Associates?
| Date | Milestone | Source |
|---|
| 1996 | Thomas P. Butler founds the agency | O'Dwyer's, the firm |
| 2016 | Work for the Uniformed Firefighters Association is a crowd favorite at the Big Apple Awards | PR News |
| 2018 | Wins at the Big Apple Awards in the legal marketing category | PRSA-NY, firm release |
| 2019 | Best of the Best | The firm's O'Dwyer's statement |
| 2020 | Best Legal Marketing Communications Campaign | The firm's O'Dwyer's statement |
| September 2021 | Recipient at the Big Apple Awards for a campaign honoring NYC's medical first responders | PRSA-NY |
| March 2022 | Former Con Edison media relations director Michael Clendenin joins | O'Dwyer's |
| August 2023 | Butler named to Crain's New York Business leaders in public relations | The firm's release |
| 2025 | Butler named to Irish America's Business 100 | Irish America |
How does Butler Associates compare with other New York PR firms?
Butler Associates is a boutique public affairs and legal communications specialist, so EPR's best PR firms in New York list and the PR agency profiles directory are the best comparison points. Regional peers with EPR profiles include Co-Communications, Rubenstein Public Relations and RF|Binder. EPR's financial services and real estate sections cover two of its practice areas.
Related: PR agency profiles, New York PR firms, Public affairs, Crisis PR, Financial services PR
