Sharon Spivak

Sharon Spivak is Of Counsel to the firm and in the Political Law section, with oversight of its research and resources. She has an extensive background in election law, government ethics, and advising local government entities and officials.

Ms. Spivak is the former Executive Director of the San Diego Ethics Commission, where she directed the independent agency’s work to administer and regulate San Diego’s ethics, campaign finance, and lobbying laws. In that role, she managed investigations and enforcement of government ethics violations, oversaw campaign finance audits, drafted legislation, and provided complex legal advice and training courses to all within the Commission’s jurisdiction.

Previously, Ms. Spivak served nearly 15 years as the City of San Diego’s principal elections, ethics, and redistricting attorney as a Senior Deputy City Attorney in the San Diego City Attorney’s Office. She drafted election laws, ballot measures and ballot pamphlet materials, and advised on initiatives, referenda, recalls, and election challenges. She advised on public transparency and open meeting laws and the Political Reform Act. Ms. Spivak also served as counsel to the City of San Diego Redistricting Commission in 2010-2011 and advised City Council committees.

Ms. Spivak previously worked as a litigation attorney with a large law firm, specializing in constitutional law, unfair competition, and national product liability matters.

Before practicing law, Ms. Spivak was an award-winning newspaper reporter, covering local, state, and national politics. Ms. Spivak’s reporting for the San Diego Union-Tribune featured coverage of U.S. presidential campaigns, California elections, and the California Legislature. Her journalism career spanned more than a decade, including work for media outlets in Washington, D.C. and Oregon.

Ms. Spivak received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and her juris doctor degree, cum laude, from the University of San Diego School of Law.