The Campaign Lawyer

This chapter addresses the roles that individual lawyers may play working in the field of Election Law, while serving as The Campaign Lawyer. There is no single definition or typology: they work on campaigns of all sizes and at local, state, and federal levels; they serve as general counsel for political parties; they are hired exclusively for outside groups, like PACs and Super PACs; they work in the various governmental agencies that administer the machinery of elections; and they are retained to come in on an as-needed basis for matters. This chapter provides one view of The Campaign Lawyer in a manner designed for the reader to be able to see the range of tasks and activities that any lawyer might do for a variety of different entities, all while acting as an election lawyer. This chapter focuses on four major areas where The Campaign Lawyer acts as an Election Law specialist; these are the primary areas where The Campaign Lawyer needs to be ready to lead a campaign and advise a candidate based on specialized knowledge. The chapter focuses on: (1) Ballot Access, (2) Voter Protection, (3) Campaign Finance, and (4) Counting and Recounting Ballots. The chapter also reviews The Campaign Lawyer’s role with respect to general legal and non-legal matters and also addresses ethical concerns