Government Relations & Regulatory Affairs

Our Approach

The Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs group at Boardman Law Firm offers a broad range of services to those engaged in lobbying, advocacy and regulatory affairs. We have the expertise to serve in a number of roles, from providing direct, hands-on lobbying to supporting the efforts of other lobbyists on legislation, regulations and administrative policy. We also provide services in the areas of administrative law and regulatory affairs, and we regularly assist clients in the increasingly complex area of compliance with state, federal and local campaign finance and ethics requirements.

Our understanding of both the political and legal systems, and our combined expertise in both, allows us to bridge the gulf that often separates the two and to tailor cost-effective solutions which respond to the needs and capacities of each client. We can help to construct a government relations component for an organization from the ground up; we can develop lobbying strategies and solutions on specific issues; and we can support clients' own lobbying efforts with the legal analyses and services that can make the difference between success and failure.

Our goal is to help all of our clients succeed cost-effectively, whether that entails enhancing the effectiveness of those who already engage in lobbying and advocacy activities, or introducing clients to legislative and regulatory alternatives which complement more traditional legal approaches.

Our Clients

This practice group provides services to professional associations, businesses, trade associations, other nonprofit organizations, local governments, political organizations, and individuals.

Services

• Government Relations Counseling, Lobbying, and Lobbying Support
  • Assist in developing organizational advocacy component
  • Lobby on specific legislative or regulatory proposals
  • Assist in building coalitions and supplement clients' existing lobbying capability as needed
  • Draft or review draft legislation and amendments; provide legal analyses and explanations, in laypersons' terms, to support lobbying, public education and advocacy efforts
  • Strategize on goals, priorities, and alternatives to achieve goals
  • Advise on campaign finance issues
  • Coordinate lobbying, public relations, business, and other legal efforts
• Administrative Law and Regulatory Affairs
  • Lobby, or assist with lobbying, for or against administrative rules, at state agency and legislative levels
  • Defend against administrative enforcement actions brought by state agencies
  • Handle legal challenges to agency administrative actions
  • Represent clients before the State Ethics Board, the State Elections Board, and counterpart local and federal agencies
  • Manage overall relations with administrative agencies regulating clients
• Litigation and Litigation Support
  • Represent clients in litigation involving statutory interpretation or legislative authority
  • Handle litigation of agency administrative actions, including challenges to rulemaking, rule interpretation, or enforcement decisions, and Chapter 227 judicial reviews of state agency actions
  • Manage or assist with litigation involving elections, campaign finance, and ethics requirements
  • Provide litigation assistance in state and federal courts, at all levels, on issues involving legislative or administrative history, intent, or authority

Attorneys

Gary Antoniewicz
Bob Gregg
Richard Heinemann
Lawrie Kobza
Dick Lehmann
Karl Marquardt
Paul Norman
Bill Peck
Mark Pernitz
Mark Steichen