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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.
Partner Janice Lacy served in Washington,
D.C. at the Republican National Committee as in-house Deputy Chief
Counsel. At the RNC, she managed campaign finance issues nationwide,
including election law compliance issues raised by state parties,
candidates, political committees, donors, and consultants. Ms. Lacy
also has worked on the enforcement side of politics. Ms. Lacy served
as a federal appellate litigation and enforcement attorney at the
Federal Election Commission in Washington, D.C., where she investigated
campaign finance law violations by candidates, PACS, and others.
She also represented the Commission in federal appellate litigation,
having presented oral arguments before three-judge panels in election
law-related cases. For more about Janice Lacy’s political
experience, please go to Attorneys >
Janice P. 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.
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