Joel Aurora

Joel Aurora is a partner in the firm’s Political Law section, where he provides expert counsel on campaign finance, government ethics, lobby disclosure, and election laws at the federal, state, and local levels.  He advises a diverse range of clients, including Fortune 500 companies, startups, nonprofit organizations, trade associations, high-net-worth individuals, and political committees.  Mr. Aurora’s experience also extends to serving as legal counsel and treasurer for ballot measure and independent expenditure committees, including offering strategic advice to initiative and referenda campaigns.

Moreover, Mr. Aurora represents dozens of tax-exempt organizations, such as charities, social welfare organizations, and trade associations, guiding them on nonprofit formation, governance structures, filing obligations, and the intricacies of federal tax law as it pertains to lobbying and political activities.

Before joining Nielsen Merksamer, Mr. Aurora was in-house counsel for a major interactive media company.  He also worked as a field representative for a California State Assemblymember, managing constituent services and communications for the district office.

While pursuing his law degree, Mr. Aurora served as a judicial extern for Justice Goodwin Liu of the California Supreme Court and Judge William Orrick of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.  He was also the Executive Articles Editor of the Hastings Law Journal.