Brian Svoboda
- Washington, D.C.
Brian's work entails recognizing, understanding and serving clients' strategic and reputational interests, especially when the political stakes are high.
Brian G. Svoboda is an authority on the laws regulating political activity. A partner in the Political Law practice, Brian helps clients to organize and achieve their political objectives, and defends them when their activities have drawn unwanted controversy.
Campaign Finance Laws and Regulations
In the general counseling he provides to companies, trade associations, political parties, candidates, nonprofit organizations and individuals, Brian advises on all aspects of ethics and campaign finance laws. He helps clients to navigate the increasingly complex rules that govern the political process: federal lobbying disclosure laws; Internal Revenue Service rules on political activity; regulatory and judicial responses to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. FEC; and the tangle of federal, state and local laws that political activity often triggers.
Brian is one of the nation's leading practitioners before the Federal Election Commission, and he has secured legal protection for high-stakes, high-visibility activities through the FEC's advisory opinion process. His in-depth understanding of that agency allows him to counsel clients on how to organize their fundraising, spending and communications to comply with FEC rules. Brian has successfully defended many clients in FEC audits and investigations, and in civil litigation against the agency. He also helps clients comply with state and local campaign finance laws, and he has appeared before agencies and courts across the country on campaign finance issues.
Ethics Investigations Counsel and Leadership
Ethics investigations are a significant area of Brian's experience, and he has been quoted in TIME Magazine on the topic of the Congressional ethics process. Brian has successfully represented several members of Congress in ethics investigations before the U.S. House Committee on Ethics, Office of Congressional Ethics and U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics.
A graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Brian appeared before representatives of the Council on Europe's Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) when they evaluated the transparency of the U.S. campaign finance system. Brian received recognition in 2014 from Super Lawyers and is an active speaker and participant in panel presentations. He has appeared in programs and classes sponsored by the Council on Governmental and Ethics Laws, George Mason Civil Rights Law Journal, George Mason University School of Law and American University Washington College of Law.
Areas of focus
Services
Education & Credentials
Education
- University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Law & Politics, 1992 - 1993, 1993
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln, B.A., Political Science and Russian, Phi Beta Kappa, 1989
Bar and Court Admissions
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District of Columbia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Related Employment
- U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey, Washington, D.C., Legislative Assistant, 1993-1997
- Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Washington D.C., Deputy Advisor to the Chairman for Strategy and Policy, 1995-1997
Additional Languages
- Russian
- German
Professional Recognition
Ranked in Chambers USA "America’s Leading Lawyers" for Political Law, 2024
Named by Washingtonian Magazine as a "Top Lawyer" for campaign and election law
Impact
Professional Leadership
- The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, Director, Law & Public Policy Program, 2021-Present
Insights
News
Professional Experience
General Counseling on Political Activity
Political Engagement Counsel
Helped companies and trade associations develop ways to engage in the political process at the federal, state and local levels by expanding their PACs, advising on proposed political contributions, training personnel and implementing “best practices” for political activity at the federal, state and local levels.
Federal and State Campaign Finance Law
Campaign Finance Law Counsel
Provided general counseling to a wide range of corporations, trade associations, nonprofit organizations, political party committees and multiple presidential campaigns.
FEC Audits and Enforcement Actions
Represented multiple clients in Federal Election Commission audits and enforcement actions, including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Chris Dodd for President, Gephardt for President, Representative Nancy Pelosi, Friends of Jim Clyburn, Friends of John Conyers, the Martin Frost Campaign Committee, Friends of Joe Lieberman, the Missouri Democratic State Committee and the Democratic Party of Illinois.
FEC Advisory Opinions for Tech and Political Clients
Obtained advisory opinions successfully from the FEC for technologically focused clients, including Meetup.com, Fired Up LLC and Third Millennium. Brian also obtained advisory opinions for major political figures, including Bill Bradley for President, Kerrey for U.S. Senate, Representative Howard Berman and Senator Jon Corzine.
Election And Campaign Finance Litigation
Litigated on behalf of clients in campaign finance and election-related issues in such cases as DGA v. Brandi, No. Civil Action No. 3:14-CV-00544-JCH (D. Conn. 2014); Meng v. Schwartz, 48 Fed. Appx. 1 (D.C. Cir. 2002); DSCC v. FEC, 139 F.3d 951 (1998); FEC v. Friends of Congresswoman Jane Harman, 59 F. Supp. 2d 1046 (C.D. Cal. 1999); Ohio Democratic Party v. FEC, No. 98-0991 (D.D.C. June 25, 1998).
FEC Rulemaking Testimony
Testified on several occasions in rulemakings before the Federal Election Commission.
Ethics Investigations
House Ethics Committee Investigation
Represented a member of Congress in an investigation by the U.S. House Committee on Ethics over campaign email communications. The Committee dismissed the matter and took no further action.
House Ethics Committee Investigation
Represented a Member of Congress before the House Ethics Committee over claims that the Member violated House rules by endorsing commercial enterprises. The Committee unanimously found no violation and dismissed the referral of our client.
Ethics Committee Investigations
Counseled Members of Congress in several investigations by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ethics, the Office of Congressional Ethics, and other offices and agencies.
Investigations Counsel and Defense
Represented a wide range of clients in other investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice, state agencies and other investigative bodies.
GAO Audits of Lobbying Disclosure Act Filings
Represented multiple clients in audits of Lobbying Disclosure Act filings by the Government Accountability Office