Melissa L. Laurenza’s practice concentrates on federal and state election law, campaign finance, lobbying and government ethics.
Ms. Laurenza represents clients in investigations conducted by various federal executive branch departments, commissions and agencies, including the Department of Justice, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the Government Accounting Office, and also represents client before various state and local commissions and agencies. Ms. Laurenza advises clients on interaction with federal and state officials including lobbying rules, campaign finance regulations, pay-to-play restrictions and other gift and ethics rules including the Federal Election Campaign Act, Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) and Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board Rule G-37. Her practice focuses exclusively on assisting those companies, organizations and individuals who wish to be politically active, whether through campaign contributions, lobbying or other educational efforts and ensuring that their activities are in compliance with all applicable rules and regulations.
Prior to joining Akin Gump, Ms. Laurenza served as counsel and policy advisor to FEC Chairman Michael E. Toner. In that capacity she was responsible for finalizing rules implementing the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, the first major overhaul of the federal campaign finance laws since the 1970s.
Before serving at the FEC, Ms. Laurenza worked for several years for Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) first in his office on Capitol Hill and later under his chairmanship at the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Ms. Laurenza has spoken across the country to corporations, trade associations and other groups regarding state and federal ethics, lobbying, gift and campaign finance laws. She has prepared testimony given before the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives and other executive branch agencies and has written op-ed pieces. In addition, Ms. Laurenza co-authored a chapter in The Sixth Year Itch: The Rise and Fall of the George W. Bush Presidency about trends in the 2006 elections as well as a chapter in Corporate Political Activities 2005: Complying with Campaign Finance, Lobbying & Ethics Laws.
Ms. Laurenza received her B.A. in European studies from Vanderbilt University in 1997 and her J.D. from the George Mason University School of Law in 2006. She is a member of the District of Columbia and Virginia bars.