Campaign Finance & Political Law

Steptoe’s campaign finance and political law clients include corporations, trade associations, labor organizations, political committees, individuals, and tax exempt entities. Our clients call on us for advice on all aspects of federal, state and local campaign finance, pay-to-play and lobbying law, and gift, travel, and entertainment restrictions. Additionally, our team has significant experience advising clients on the federal executive and legislative branch ethics rules, the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), the “revolving door” and other post-employment restrictions, and related civil and criminal litigation and enforcement matters.

Given the increasingly complex web of federal, state, and local government ethics and political law regimes, we provide counsel to our clients’ officers and employees to ensure they are aware of the laws governing their behavior and conduct themselves according to the highest ethical and legal standards. Further, in response to recent pay-to-play rules governing certain political activities of those in the financial services industry (such as investment advisers and swap dealers) we help client navigate these new and challenging issues. We also offer detailed government ethics and political law compliance programs and training to corporations and organizations – both to facilitate adherence as well as to provide a defense against criminal, administrative, and civil enforcement proceedings.

Numerous corporations, labor organizations, trade associations, federal candidates, political committees, and individuals regularly call upon the Steptoe team. We represent our clients before administrative agencies and civil courts on matters relating to violations of federal and state campaign finance, including the Federal Election Commission (FEC) challenges, government ethics, and political laws and regulations. We also offer a federal and state campaign finance reporting service for large political action committees (PACs), and assist in securing communications support for political committees’ fundraising and mobilization efforts.