It is essential that attorneys for those in the political arena understand the challenges faced in the grind of a campaign. At Wewer & Lacy LLP, our knowledge is not just out of books. Our attorneys have their own war stories from the maelstrom of politics, having worked not only as election attorneys in private practice, but more.
We have substantive experience – both in California, at the local and statewide level, and in Washington, D.C., at the federal level – beginning with Partner Jim Lacy’s work in passing the historic “Proposition 13” in California in 1978. Mr. Lacy has also served as a political consultant, a political aide to Proposition 13 founder Howard Jarvis, and a political aide to former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Malcolm Baldrige. He served in Washington, D.C. as a political appointee of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, has run for office himself, and is currently serving in public office as a council member of Dana Point, California. He is an appointee to the California Republican Party, and served as a delegate for Ronald Reagan in 1976 at the national Republican Convention. He has represented California slate mail publishers in federal court litigation, winning two major first amendment cases against the Fair Political Practices Commission. He also has won a major case against the city of Mission Viejo, California for violations by their city council of the Brown Act. He has testified before the United States Senate, the United States Congress, the California State Assembly, and the California Coastal Commission. For more about Jim Lacy’s political experience, please go to Attorneys > James V. Lacy.
Because we have worked in politics so extensively, we understand the political sensitivities and acute time pressure of election law. We also understand that politics is a highly regulated area, and that candidates and advisors tire of hearing what they cannot do, and instead need to hear what they can do. To meet this need, our top priority is to create innovative solutions within the parameters of federal and state election law to meet our clients’ goals. In other words, we will either tell you how to get a project done, or give you workable options.
We advise candidates, candidate committees, activists, PACs, campaign consultants, nonprofit organizations, donors, and others involved in the election process. We work in-house or with other professionals to address the following election law issues:
- Registration and reporting of political committees
- Qualification of ballot measures for petition gathering
- Defense of court challenges against ballot measure proponents and candidates
- Compliance with federal election statutes and regulations
- Compliance with state election statutes and regulations
- Testing the Waters activities
- Transfers between committees
- Fundraising and advertising issues
- Campaign travel
- Campaign recordkeeping and filing reports
- Independent expenditures
Our depth of political experience and intense knowledge of election law combine to provide you with outstanding legal support when you enter the political arena.