Directors' College 2021 Online
William Minor
Partner, DLA Piper
William Minor leads DLA Piper’s political law practice, which advises clients on the intersection of law, advocacy, and political activity, and represents corporations, associations, non-profits and others in high-profile government investigations and enforcement matters.
For over 25 years, William has counselled clients on matters of political and legal risk, particularly federal, state, and international lobbying laws, campaign finance regulations, and government ethics rules. He applies to these representations a deep understanding of the legal requirements, and the practical needs and objectives of those involved in government advocacy and political activity.
William is recognized as a leading authority on the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA), the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), campaign finance law and regulations, congressional and Executive Branch gift and travel rules, and “pay-to-play” restrictions applicable to government contractors and regulated entities.
William regularly represents clients in enforcement matters before the Department of Justice, the Federal Election Commission, and the congressional ethics committees. He has also represented clients in formal and informal congressional investigations and prepared executives for highly-scrutinized testimony in congressional oversight hearings.
In addition, William works with corporate and non-profit clients to develop and implement effective compliance strategies for lobbying, advocacy, and political activity. This includes the organization and management of political action committees (PACs), the development of lobbying and political activity policies, and the creation of training programs to ensure continued compliance.
William is active in DLA Piper’s pro bono projects. Currently, he is counsel to and on the board of directors of the National Archives Foundation. William is also a member of the board of directors of Running Start, a DC-based non-profit which trains and inspires young women to seek political office.
William is the author of the Bureau of National Affairs (BNA) portfolio on the regulation of corporate lobbying, part of the BNA Corporate Practice Series. He also contributes an annual chapter on the Lobbying Disclosure Act to the Thomson Reuters legal treatise on political law, speaks frequently on political law matters, and is regularly quoted in the press on developments in this area of the law. Chambers USA has recognized and ranked William for more than a decade for his “sophisticated practice” among Political Law practitioners nationwide. The Washingtonian magazine named William to its “Top Lawyers” list for Campaign and Election Law, and the Ethisphere Institute recognized him among “Attorneys Who Matter” in business ethics and compliance.
Prior to joining DLA Piper, William was an associate at a Washington, D.C. based lobbying firm and served as a legislative assistant to US Representative (now Senator) Edward J. Markey. He has also worked for Marttila & Kiley, a political consulting firm, and previously held positions with the American Civil Liberties Union, US Representative Joseph P. Kennedy II and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
William was awarded a juris doctorate from Columbia University School of Law in 1995 and he was Editor-in-Chief, Columbia Journal of Law and Social Problems. William earned his undergraduate degree from Tufts University, magna cum laude in 1989 and attended the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1988. William is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Maryland.
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