Political clients require multiple skill sets. On one hand, they need surgically precise advice concerning campaign finance laws, disclosure rules, ballot access, and government ethics. There is no room for error in this area, because even small mistakes can have outsized effects on a campaign.
At the same time, political clients can find themselves suddenly embroiled in fast moving, hard hitting investigations and litigation with very aggressive opponents. These situations require more than just regulatory knowledge; political clients require aggressive and confident litigation counsel who can swiftly assess problems and identify the best path forward.
Political clients therefore require a legal team with two very different skill sets: complete fluency with a substantive body of law; and confident representation in complicated, fast paced, and high stakes litigation. In political engagements, these skills are continually tested and scrutinized by clients, the media, and the public.
We serve as general counsel for candidate campaigns, advising on every issue from formation to shutdown protocols and everything in between. Our experience in this area includes the following:
We serve as counsel for initiative and referendum campaigns. We draft the language of ballot measures and advise on all constitutional, statutory, and procedural issues arising in the course of the campaigns. Our attorneys have advised on more than 10 ballot measure campaigns in 4 states.
We have advised more than 25 nonprofit organizations on formation, reorganization, federal tax issues, disclosure requirements, donor privacy, and/or limitations on political and lobbying activities.
Our clients in this space range from large, national organizations that are active in many states, to “start up” nonprofit organizations with a narrow geographical or issue focus. These organizations include charitable organizations organized under Section 501(c)(3), social welfare organizations organized under Section 501(c)(4), labor organizations organized under Section 501(c)(5), trade associations organized under Section 501(c)(6), and political committees organized under Section 527.
Our attorneys have extraordinarily broad experience with ballot access issues. We have advised on ballot access requirements in all 50 states and 6 U.S. territories. We have also advised on ballot access litigation in 7 states, serving as lead counsel in more than 10 ballot access cases at the trial and appellate levels.
We help corporations and trade associations form PACs and comply with the regulations governing registration, lobbying, fundraising, campaign finance reports, shut down protocols, and all other matters.