CHRISTOPHER SKINNELL (Marin County office) specializes in law and civil litigation relating to elections, state and local initiative and referendum law, redistricting and voting rights matters, campaign finance compliance and litigation, lobbying compliance and government ethics, and general constitutional and government law litigation. Cases include:

• Lopez v. Merced County, 473 F. Supp. 2d 1072 (E.D. Cal. 2007) & later unpublished opinions (defeated multiple claims under Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act & obtained summary judgment).

• Citizens to Save Cal. v. Fair Pol. Pract. Comm’n, 145 Cal. App. 4th 736 (3d Dist. 2006) (unanimously enjoined FPPC Regulation applying contribution limits to ballot measure committees).

• Brief Amicus Curiae of Am. Legis. Exch. Council & Free Enters. Council in Support of Appellees, League of United Latin Am. Citizens v. Perry, 548 U.S. 399 (2006) (successfully urged Court to reject rule against mid-decade redistricting).

• Yes on 87-Californians for Clean Energy v. Californians Against Higher Taxes–No on 87, Case 06AS03895 (Sacramento County Super. Ct. 2006) (defeated plaintiff’s TRO request under Political Reform Act challenging defendant’s television disclaimers).

• Honda v. Smith, Case 05-CV-047535 (Santa Clara County Super. Ct. 2005) (compelled City Clerk to allow local officials to sign ballot arguments against City measures though officials not City voters).

Mr. Skinnell also has extensive experience obtaining administrative preclearance from the United States Department of Justice under Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act.

Prior to joining the firm Mr. Skinnell worked as a political consultant to several California legislative and initiative campaigns, a research associate at the Rose Institute of State and Local Government, and chairman of a successful initiative campaign in Southern California. A graduate of Claremont McKenna College (magna cum laude) and the University of Chicago Law School, he has published articles and written extensively on voting rights and redistricting, California political demographics, campaign finance and ethics compliance, and Native American issues, and has been a guest lecturer on redistricting issues at Claremont McKenna College. While at the University of Chicago he served as Editor-in-Chief of The University of Chicago Legal Forum.