News & Publications

New California Pay-to-Play Laws and Regulations

Effective January 1, 2023, SB 1439 (Glazer) extended the application of California’s pay-to-play provisions, Government Code Section 84308, to local elected officials (e.g., city council members).  The pay-to-play provisions continue to apply to certain state and local public officials who sit on boards and commissions, serve as heads of agencies, or are candidates for elective office in a local agency; state elected officials remain exempt.

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Steve Merksamer Selected for Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2023

Nielsen Merksamer is pleased to announce that the publication The Best Lawyers in America© selected Steve Merksamer for inclusion in the 30th edition of The Best Lawyers in America, to be published in 2023, an honor he has received every year since 2007.

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Kurt Oneto Named to Capitol Weekly’s “Top 100 of 2022” (#64)

Kurt Oneto, the head of Nielsen Merksamer’s government law section, was named to the Capitol Weekly’s Top 100

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Nielsen Merksamer Attorneys Recognized As 2022 Northern California Super Lawyers/Rising Stars

Steve Merksamer and Chris Skinnell have been named Northern California Super Lawyers, and Elli Abdoli has been named a Northern California Rising Star for 2022

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California Amends Pay-to-Play Law for Local Officials

Nielsen Merksamer Seeks Regulatory Action or Advice to Resolve Issues of Retroactivity, Return of Contributions and Disclosure

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Steve Merksamer Selected for Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2022

Nielsen Merksamer is pleased to announce that the publication The Best Lawyers in America© selected Steve Merksamer for inclusion in the 28th edition of The Best Lawyers in America, to be published in 2022, an honor he has received every year since 2007. Merksamer was chosen through an exhaustive and rigorous peer-review survey in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluated their professional peers.

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Chris Skinnell Named a 2021 “Lawyer of Distinction” by Sonoma Magazine

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Nielsen Merksamer Attorneys Recognized As 2021 Northern California Super Lawyers/Rising Stars

Steve Merksamer and Chris Skinnell have been named Northern California Super Lawyers, and Elli Abdoli and Rachael Blucher have been named Northern California Rising Stars for 2021

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The California Privacy Protection Agency Board Held Its First Meeting. What’s Next?

Register for updates here and

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Steve Merksamer Selected for Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021

Nielsen Merksamer is pleased to announce that the publication The Best Lawyers in America© selected Steve Merksamer for inclusion in the 27th edition of The Best Lawyers in America, to be published in 2021, an honor he has received every year since 2007. Merksamer was chosen through an exhaustive and rigorous peer-review survey in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluated their professional peers.

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