In the 2024 election cycle, super PACs spent a reported $2.7 billion at the federal level, up from roughly $1.4 billion in 2022. And in 2025, super PACs poured tens of millions into state and local races, including the New Jersey gubernatorial race and the New York City mayoral race. As we head into the 2026 mid-term election year, super PACs are set to again spend significant sums at various government levels, from U.S. House and Senate races to mayoral campaigns.

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Photo of Derek Lawlor Derek Lawlor

Derek Lawlor is of counsel in the firm’s Election and Political Law Practice Group. Derek advises corporations, nonprofit organizations, and trade associations on compliance with federal and state lobbying, campaign finance, and government ethics laws.

Clients regularly rely on Derek to assist with…

Derek Lawlor is of counsel in the firm’s Election and Political Law Practice Group. Derek advises corporations, nonprofit organizations, and trade associations on compliance with federal and state lobbying, campaign finance, and government ethics laws.

Clients regularly rely on Derek to assist with their complex questions related to activities and projects that implicate all of these laws. Derek advises federal and state candidates and super PACs on campaign finance and disclosure issues. Derek also represents clients in government investigations and inquiries conducted by the Federal Election Commission, Office of Congressional Ethics, and Congressional Committees and Commissions.

Derek’s representation of clients covers the full range of important political law issues that they face, including:

Advising clients on their registration and reporting obligations under the federal Lobbying Disclosure Act, as well as state and local lobbying laws, including helping client organizations evaluate the core questions that arise in this space:

Has the organization or any of its employees triggered lobbying registration requirements?
What lobbying income, expenditures, issues, or contacts need to be disclosed on lobbying reports?
Does procurement or sales activity directed at governmental entities trigger lobbying registration in a particular jurisdiction?
What are the best practices for designing a lobbying compliance program?

Assisting corporations and trade associations with the establishment and operation of connected PACs, which frequently entails evaluating the following questions:

What steps does the organization need to take to start up and register a connected PAC?
What are the ongoing reporting requirements under the Federal Election Campaign Act (“FECA”) or state campaign finance laws?
Which employees can the organization solicit and what are the rules on conducting a solicitation campaign?
What are the limits on making contributions to federal, state, or local candidates, party committees, or other political committees?
What are the best practices for designing a PAC compliance program?

Evaluating whether a client’s proposed activities might trigger registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”), and if so, advising on registration and ongoing reporting obligations;
Advising federal and state candidates, super PACs, and other political committees on compliance with FECA, FEC regulations and reporting requirements, state campaign finance laws, rules on disclaimers placed on communications, and other political law compliance topics;
Counseling individuals who are entering government service, including Senate-confirmed positions, on the various financial disclosure requirements, conflicts of interest considerations, and other ethics law issues they may face;
Helping clients establish politically active or policy-focused nonprofit organizations, and proving ongoing support related to tax and political law issues that might arise from their activities; and
Advising corporations, nonprofits, and individuals on their proposed donations to candidates, political committees, and other politically active outside groups.

Derek was a Professorial Lecturer in Law at the George Washington University Law School from 2015-2025.

Prior to receiving his law degree, Derek worked in the Office of General Counsel at the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Photo of Andrew Garrahan Andrew Garrahan

Andrew Garrahan represents and counsels clients at the intersection of law and politics. He guides them through both regulatory compliance issues and government investigations on matters including state and federal campaign finance, ethics, lobbying, and corruption, as well as in congressional investigations.

Andrew’s…

Andrew Garrahan represents and counsels clients at the intersection of law and politics. He guides them through both regulatory compliance issues and government investigations on matters including state and federal campaign finance, ethics, lobbying, and corruption, as well as in congressional investigations.

Andrew’s prior career in political fundraising gives him a unique perspective on the challenges faced by his clients, which include corporations, candidates, government officials, political and nonprofit organizations, and private individuals.

Andrew’s counseling and advisory practice includes:

guiding clients on structuring of and compliance for their state and federal lobbying and grassroots advocacy campaigns;
representing campaigns, Super PACs, corporations, trade associations, and individuals on the applicability of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) and state campaign finance law;
counseling on Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) registration and disclosure, and its interaction with the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA);
helping companies comply with state and federal ethics laws, particularly on gifts and conflicts of interests, and domestic anticorruption; and
auditing corporate political law compliance practices.

Andrew’s investigations and defense work includes:

representing clients in Congressional investigations, including responding to letter requests and subpoenas;
preparing company officers and other individuals for testimony in Congressional investigative hearings;
defending clients in Department of Justice matters related to campaign finance, lobbying, ethics, and public corruption; and
representing clients before the FEC and state campaign finance, lobbying, and ethics regulators.

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Photo of Kimberly Railey Kimberly Railey

Kimberly Railey is an associate in the firm’s Washington, DC office. She is a member of the Election and Political Law Practice Group, advising corporations, PACs, nonprofits, and individuals on compliance with federal and state lobbying, campaign finance, and government ethics laws. She…

Kimberly Railey is an associate in the firm’s Washington, DC office. She is a member of the Election and Political Law Practice Group, advising corporations, PACs, nonprofits, and individuals on compliance with federal and state lobbying, campaign finance, and government ethics laws. She also represents and counsels clients in matters before government agencies and Congress.

Prior to law school, Kimberly was a political reporter for a nonpartisan publication in Washington, DC.

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