Vigo G. (Chip) Nielsen, Jr. (ret.)

Chip Nielsen (retired) is a founder and former senior partner of the firm. With 45+ years of experience as a senior political law lawyer specializing in campaign finance, initiative, lobbying, conflict of interest and non-profit laws, he played a very important role as one of the firm’s top government law strategists and was actively involved in California state politics and government for over four decades. He has been referred to as the “dean of the California campaign finance Bar.”

Of the nearly 400 California statewide and local ballot measures represented by this firm during his tenure, Chip was General Counsel to over 60 statewide and 25 local measures; he was also the author of a half dozen statewide initiatives. The list of the firm’s ballot measure representations found elsewhere on this site shows the breadth and importance of these initiatives and referenda.

Chip has incorporated and represented over 40 non-profit charities, social welfare organizations and trade associations.

Chip  served on numerous boards of directors and advisory commissions, including the President’s Panel on Selection of Federal Judges for the Northern District of California.

He managed two statewide candidate campaigns and was pro-bono legal counsel to George Moscone for San Francisco Mayor, Art Agnos for San Francisco Mayor, Pete Wilson for Governor of California (1990 and 1994), and Pete Wilson for U.S. Senate (1982 and 1988).

For 40 years, Chip was the co-chair of the Practicing Law Institute’s annual 2-day program on Corporate Political Activities: Complying with Campaign Finance, Lobbying and Ethics Laws.

Before becoming an attorney, Chip was an administrative assistant to California Assemblymember Hugh Flournoy, Assistant Deputy State Controller serving under Controller Flournoy, Chief Administrative Officer of the California Assembly, and then Chief of Staff to Lt. Governor Ed Reinecke.