THE FIRM This practice is universally recognized as the leading light in Democrat candidate representation work. Its bipartisan component has also been growing in the past year and the group regularly engages in government ethics advisory work, as well as lobbying disclosure and regulatory matters. Furthermore, the team is well positioned to tackle redistricting efforts in the coming year.
KEY INDIVIDUALS Marc Erik Elias is described by one commentator as "the preeminent Democrat campaign and financial election lawyer." Peers and clients praise him as "a top-notch attorney with a broad gauge in the area." His expertise encompasses Congressional ethics matters, campaign finance and senate elections work, and in addition he enjoys a reputation as one of the top Democratic candidate recounts experts. Judith Corley's continuing role as general counsel to the Democratic National Committee attests to her formidable skill as a political law practitioner. She is known among peers as a solid, highly experienced attorney, with a particular expertise in trade association matters.
THE FIRM This group maintains a strong lead thanks to excellent proficiency at handling corporate compliance and M&A work. Its top-of-the-line knowledge of pay-to-play laws as well as Office of Congressional Ethics and political action committee (PAC) compliance makes it the firm of choice for many major trade associations and financial entities, including several of the biggest Wall Street banks. Its reputation is well deserved in several nonfinancial fields as well, including insurance and pharmaceuticals.
Client Service "They are extremely service-oriented, and their campaign finance analysis staff are particularly excellent. They really take the time to understand our operation, they're great communicators and they assist us with planning and direct us on issues that aren't immediately in front of us."
KEY INDIVIDUALS Kenneth Gross is "one of the most respected attorneys in this area of law." Clients praise his ability "to take complex legal issues and teach them in a way that is easy to understand," as well as his excellent level of technical knowledge. In the past year he worked on several high-profile pay-to-play matters. Ki Hong wins plaudits for his "incredible fluency in the subject matter," and one client remarks: "He is excellent in terms of skill level and immediate knowledge." His broad-based skill set embraces a range of areas, but he is best known for his work with corporations on campaign finance and gift and ethics compliance programs. Lawrence Noble is a veteran practitioner whose "background in the Federal Ethics Commission (FEC) gives him a fantastic breadth of experience in campaign finance issues."
THE FIRM This practice's formidable experience in campaign finance and ethics laws makes it a favorite of Republican entities and political candidates. The group's specialist expertise in tax law also makes it the firm of choice for major corporate clients, while its popularity with a number of nonprofit organizations and PACs is based on its thorough working knowledge of regulatory compliance matters. In the past year this group worked with names such as Boeing and UPS, as well as providing advisory services for Congressman Eric Cantor.
KEY INDIVIDUALS Practice head Jan Baran is widely respected as one of the top figures in the political law sphere, described as "a dean among the Republican financing lawyers." He is best known for his counseling and representation services for corporate clients and trade associations, as well as for work with PACs. Michael Toner recently added his considerable talents to the team, arriving from Bryan Cave LLP in March 2011. He wins warm praise, with one peer describing him as "unequaled in the field." Commentators particularly note his "likable and easy to work with" style. He is known best for his work with political candidates and parties. Caleb Burns continues to impress with his broad array of knowledge, including campaign finance and lobbying regulation. Clients praise his "analytical and prompt" approach. Carol Laham makes a first appearance in the tables this year as a well-respected federal election law specialist. Her former experience at the FEC gives her "incredible depth and breadth of knowledge," and she is an acknowledged expert in campaign finance and PAC compliance matters.
THE FIRM Though this group is known among peers as a tax specialist shop, its main line of work in the past twelve months fell firmly within compliance matters and campaign finance advice. Pay-to-play questions arising from the Citizens United ruling also kept the group busy. In the past year the group provided advisory services to JPMorgan Chase on PAC issues, as well as advising Verizon Wireless on its various campaign finance implications. The group's clientele encompasses both tax-exempt and for-profit organizations, as well as political candidates and issue groups.
KEY INDIVIDUALS Joseph Birkenstock is described as "an exceptional lawyer with great knowledge and experience." Though relatively young, he is a highly respected player when it comes to hedge funds and tax-related matters and pay-to-play questions. Hailed as a "world-class FEC lawyer," Trevor Potter receives glowing praise from peers and clients alike for his expertise in campaign finance and insight into its developments and potential reforms. His former position as chairman of the FEC gives him "tremendous experience in campaign finance and great strategic judgment."
THE FIRM This practice is known for its mix of litigation, white-collar defense work and campaign finance expertise. Its forte, however, undoubtedly lies in high-profile litigation cases for political parties regarding election law, on matters ranging from constitutional challenges and regulatory compliance to False Claims Act and pay-to-play regulations. In the past year the group represented long-standing client Senator Mitch McConnell on several matters regarding campaign finance and constitutional litigation, among others.
Client Service "They always look at what's best and most effective for reaching a quick conclusion; they don't always just pull out the big guns. I never got the impression that they were approaching my case as just another income stream."
KEY INDIVIDUALS Sources agree that Bobby Burchfield is a political litigation expert par excellence, "a very smart lawyer with very good judgment." His broad-based expertise covers not only campaign finance and election law-related matters but also white-collar defense work. In the past year he worked closely with the National Republican Senatorial Committee and Republican Governors Association on potential recount work relating to the 2010 elections.
THE FIRM This group specializes in state-level work, and regularly counsels outside groups and political candidates. In the past year the group represented Senator Lisa Murkowski on her postelection counting procedure, resulting in the first write-in victory for any US senator in the past 50 years. The team also provided counseling services to outside groups in the wake of the Citizens United ruling. Among its broad base of clients are major corporations, trade associations and PACs.
KEY INDIVIDUALS Peers describe Benjamin Ginsberg as a "highly accomplished political lawyer and consultant." He is best known for his work with Republican political candidates, and played an integral role in representing Senator Lisa Murkowski. Campaign finance and PAC-related matters also fall under his range of expertise.
THE FIRM At six lawyers strong, this team is not among the largest on the market, but its formidable experience and great reputation make it one of the major players on the political law scene. Out of Washington, DC it handles the gamut of work, from campaign finance to lobbying compliance advice. The group is undoubtedly best known for Democratic candidate and committee representation work, and recently engaged in FEC investigations work.
KEY INDIVIDUALS Joseph Sandler is hailed among peers as an outstanding figure in the arena of Democratic party work, and in the past year he engaged in regulatory compliance and campaign finance advice work. His political law experience extends beyond this into corporate structuring for nonprofit and for-profit entities.
THE FIRM This group, though best known for its well-developed corporate component, is also well equipped to deal with Congressional investigations and criminal enforcement work. In the past year the group acted as lead counsel to the National Republican Congressional Committee on several investigations relating to alleged embezzlement, and obtained a favorable settlement for the client. Otherwise, the group engaged in ethical compliance and lobbying counseling, as well as PAC formation work.
Client Service "They're good on both short and long-term fronts. They are incredibly responsive and recommend compliance programs for long-term planning. They put on conferences every year, which are useful for planning against pitfalls and watching out for what enforcement actions the government is likely to take."
KEY INDIVIDUALS Practice head Robert Kelner wins warm praise from peers and clients, and enjoys a reputation as a business-savvy and hard-working practitioner with a solid grasp of political law. His specialties include corporate work and matters relating to the Foreign Agents Registration Act, as well as pay-to-play cases and Congressional investigations. He has solid experience in working with the DOJ and the FEC.
THE FIRM This practice, though viewed as a relative newcomer to the political law scene, is acknowledged for its excellent lobbying practice. Peers and clients alike note that its rich resources in experience and manpower position it well for further expansion into the market. In the past year it engaged in advice and counseling work relating to the Lobbying Disclosure Act and the Dodd-Frank Act, as well as handling gift and ethics matters and the setup and handling of PACs. The group counts among its clients names such as Zurich Financial Services, Citizens Financial Group and Brickman Group.
Commercial Awareness "Their grasp of political law is great, and they can combine that with their expertise in high-level white-collar criminal defense work, which is vital."
KEY INDIVIDUALS William Minor makes his debut in the rankings this year. Sources are impressed by his high-quality work with trade associations and federal party committees. One commentator remarks: "He reads all of our Lobbying Disclosure Act registrations and oversees all other compliance issues with a jeweler's eye, always with our need for reputational integrity in mind."
THE FIRM This group is known for its preeminence in California, with a mainstay in lobbying and campaign finance law, as well as gift and ethics work. The team receives particular praise for its performance in handling the latter, and in the past year provided compliance program advice to Chevron and URS, among others. A large part of the group's clientele consists of corporations and major trade associations.
KEY INDIVIDUALS Frederick Lowell is equally proficient at handling federal and California state-level work, and was praised by one commentator as "one of the deans of political law." His expertise, encompassing political advertisements, as well as placement agency and gift and ethics-related matters, won him close relationships with names such as McKesson, Bechtel and various Schwarzenegger political committees.
Preeminent West Coast lawyer
Chip Nielsen's top-shelf expertise makes Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni LLP one of the most well-respected practices in California. Commentators describe him as
"one of the few go-to guys for ballot initiatives." Lyn Utrecht of Utrecht & Phillips, PLLC is widely respected as an expert in representing Democratic political candidates and consultants, as well as noncorporate entities. She is particularly noted for her experience in handling white-collar defense work.
Doug Chalmers is the head partner at the newly formed Political Law Group. He is best known for his work in Georgia, where his solid working knowledge of state law makes him a reliable choice for ethics matters and lobbying compliance.
Craig Engle of Arent Fox LLP is a well-respected practitioner in the campaign finance field. His expertise in dealing with 'super-PACs' also gives him a strong edge on the market. One client remarks:
"He has excellent communication skills, and he can cut to the chase, but also analyze it. He brings in a great sense of humor and is easy to deal with." Cleta Mitchell of Foley & Lardner LLP receives plaudits for her dynamic and tenacious style. One client remarks:
"She's fun and extremely good at what she does." Her array of expertise encompasses FEC compliance, ethics matters and IP law.
Stefan Passantino of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP won praise for his expertise in state-level pay-to-play legislation.
Scott Thomas of Dickstein Shapiro LLP is recognized for his 30-year experience in the FEC, and impresses with an
"encyclopedic command of campaign finance law." Ronald Jacobs of Venable LLP is making a name for himself in campaign finance and lobbying disclosure matters.