Political and Initiative Law
Nielsen Merksamer is highly regarded for its expertise in political, lobbying and election law, both in California and throughout the nation.

We advise corporations, major campaign donors, trade associations and labor unions and their political action committees (PACs) with respect to the legal and technical requirements of the Federal Election Campaign Act, California's complex Political Reform Act, the campaign, lobbying and ethics laws of the 50 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, and campaign, lobbying and ethics laws on the local level.

The firm specializes in establishing and maintaining multi-state or multi-jurisdictional campaign, gift and lobby legal compliance systems for large corporations and executives with activities and interests in more than one state.

Our attorneys also represent clients in enforcement matters before the Federal Election Commission, California Fair Political Practices Commission, state and local ethics commissions, and other law enforcement agencies. In connection with this advice, we provide comprehensive bookkeeping and treasurer services, and we prepare campaign and lobbying reports which must be filed on the federal, state and local levels. In addition, our firm organizes and represents various tax-exempt organizations before the Internal Revenue Service and the California Franchise Tax Board.

Over the past 25 years, we have been legal counsel for either the opponents or proponents of most major California statewide initiative or referenda, along with scores of local ballot measures, advising them on all aspects of campaigning, from initiative drafting and filing, to contesting the final vote. (A representative list of initiative campaigns appears later in this Brochure.)

Other areas of expertise include the laws regulating state and local conflicts-of-interest, voting rights, taxation of lobbying expenses, campaign advertising and elections procedures.