Administrative Law
Helping Clients Solve Regulatory Issues and Defend Their Interests
For businesses in every industry, the volume and pervasiveness of local, state and federal regulations and legal requirements can begin to feel like death by a thousand cuts for the uninitiated. In addition to their serious impact on business operations and strategic planning, these regulations often impose significant direct and indirect costs, undermine potential opportunities and can curtail the growth of companies or even an entire industry. Understanding the legal and philosophical principles (or, sometimes the lack of) that guide government agencies is critical to anticipating, meeting or successfully challenging regulatory and enforcement actions—as well as successfully advocating for or defending favorable agency decisions.
Manatt’s experience in government and administrative proceedings, its in-depth knowledge of agency regulations and practices, and long-standing contacts with government officials and their staffs at all levels give us the sophistication and clout necessary to advocate for clients seeking to challenge or defend government regulations, as well as bring about appropriate regulatory action. Our attorneys and professionals have successfully represented clients before various federal, state and local agencies across a broad range of issues, including international trade, manufacturing, the environment, labor, taxation, broadcasting, immigration and transportation.
Working hand in hand with our Government Relations group and touching virtually every area of business law within the firm, our Administrative Law practice offers clients an ideal mix of corporate and government affairs experience and know-how. Our attorneys and professionals handle regulatory matters affecting a wide range of industries and issues, including:
An Experienced Hand in Investigations and Enforcement Actions
While being the subject of a government investigation or enforcement action may be intimidating and new to many of our clients, Manatt’s attorneys and professionals are well versed in these matters and can provide seasoned guidance.
Our team has been involved in many high-level—and often high-profile—government investigations and agency enforcement actions. We regularly represent companies, political candidates, elected and appointed officials, and individuals who are subject to investigations and enforcement actions by entities such as:
The Federal Elections Commission
State and local regulatory bodies
Criminal agencies, such as district attorneys and city prosecutors
Legislative bodies, including the U.S. House of Representatives
Manatt also advises public officials about their obligations under applicable ethics laws and helps them respond to charges of public corruption if or when they arise. In fact, we’re no strangers to controversies, especially those that have made national headlines. Our attorneys have played key roles in high-profile matters such as the impeachment proceedings against President Clinton, the impeachment of three-term Connecticut Governor John Rowland, advising the Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee and the U.S. Senate on various issues, as well as advising the White House Counsel’s Office.
As part of our full-service approach, we often work with our clients and their media relations experts to develop positive and effective messaging. Of course, even if an issue is not in the headlines, our clients consider any regulatory matter to be high-profile. We work on a wide variety of regulatory matters that may not be headline material but are just as important to our clients’ lives and businesses