Overview

Experienced government advocates are crucial to accomplishing your businesses’ organizational objectives, complying with relevant regulations, and managing the legislative and administrative processes. Dilworth Paxson’s Government Affairs Practice Group utilizes extensive experience and long-standing relationships on both sides of the aisle at federal, state, and regional levels, and before executive agencies. Our attorneys provide clients with incisive legal counsel at critical state and local levels involving complex permitting; regulatory enforcement and compliance issues; economic development and redevelopment incentives; government contracts and administrative litigation, and general advocacy at all levels of government.

Our attorneys have coordinated with legislators on the drafting and introduction of legislation, served as bi-partisan advocates for clients’ needs, and tracked legislation affecting our clients’ interests, with particular experience in the Mid-Atlantic business region.

Our capabilities include:

  • Strategic Planning: Leveraging relationships to assist clients in attaining their business goals.
  • Legislation and Regulatory Advocacy: Building and maintaining relationships with legislators, executive branch officials and staff to be in a position to educate and advocate on behalf of issues that are important to our clients.
  • Appropriations and Procurement:  Guiding clients through the process of government contracting and public funding opportunities.
  • Political Action Committee Management:  Advising clients on the most targeted use of their political funds.

Representative Matters

  • Securing a $10 million Pennsylvania RACP grant for Fashion District Philadelphia
  • Securing a $5 million Commonwealth grant for the World Meeting of Families 2016, hosted by the City of Philadelphia and including a visit by the Pope
  • Successfully intervened on behalf of a county political committee seeking to count as valid under Pennsylvania election law 592 mail-in ballots challenged for failure of voters to print complete addresses on the outer envelopes. Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. v. Montgomery County Board of Elections.
  • Represented the City of Philadelphia in a challenge to the constitutionality of private grants for election administration leading to the dismissal of plaintiffs’ claims for lack of standing. Pennsylvania Voters Alliance v. Centre County.
  • Successfully litigated in the Commonwealth and Supreme Courts a line-by-line challenge to a nomination petition for the Pennsylvania Senate. In re Nomination Petition of Elvira N. Berry.
  • Successfully intervened on behalf of voters, local political party chairs, and congressional candidates in litigation challenging Pennsylvania’s congressional districts as an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander, representing intervenors in trial before the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court and argument before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
  • Advised a corporation on federal constitutional aspects of a potential state statute-based challenge to a major business transaction.
  • Represented candidates and voters in successful challenges to and defenses of nomination petitions.
  • Advised clients from candidates for Congress to borough council on financial disclosure obligations under state and federal law.
  • Represented parties in public ethics investigations before the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission, the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board, and the City of Philadelphia Board of Ethics.

Representative Matters

  • Securing a $10 million Pennsylvania RACP grant for Fashion District Philadelphia
  • Securing a $5 million Commonwealth grant for the World Meeting of Families 2016, hosted by the City of Philadelphia and including a visit by the Pope
  • Successfully intervened on behalf of a county political committee seeking to count as valid under Pennsylvania election law 592 mail-in ballots challenged for failure of voters to print complete addresses on the outer envelopes. Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. v. Montgomery County Board of Elections.
  • Represented the City of Philadelphia in a challenge to the constitutionality of private grants for election administration leading to the dismissal of plaintiffs’ claims for lack of standing. Pennsylvania Voters Alliance v. Centre County.
  • Successfully litigated in the Commonwealth and Supreme Courts a line-by-line challenge to a nomination petition for the Pennsylvania Senate. In re Nomination Petition of Elvira N. Berry.
  • Successfully intervened on behalf of voters, local political party chairs, and congressional candidates in litigation challenging Pennsylvania’s congressional districts as an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander, representing intervenors in trial before the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court and argument before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
  • Advised a corporation on federal constitutional aspects of a potential state statute-based challenge to a major business transaction.
  • Represented candidates and voters in successful challenges to and defenses of nomination petitions.
  • Advised clients from candidates for Congress to borough council on financial disclosure obligations under state and federal law.
  • Represented parties in public ethics investigations before the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission, the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board, and the City of Philadelphia Board of Ethics.

Insights

Group Chair

Michael J. Tierney

Of Counsel
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