CFDB Offering: Political Law Practice

March 10, 2026

As the 2026 campaign season unfolds, Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres has added a Political Law Practice to its client offerings.

Designed to support corporations, nonprofit entities, executives, candidates, and political committees in their work across the political sector, our newest practice combines deep legal expertise with a nuanced understanding of how laws are applied, enforced, and interpreted in real-world political settings.

The new practice group is led by Croke Fairchild partners Lisa Duarte, who served as the First Assistant Deputy Governor for Budget & Economy in Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s administration, and Adam Vaught, who most recently served as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the President of the Illinois Senate and the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives in multiple lawsuits over the state’s legislative and judicial redistricting. The team also includes attorney David Adeleye, who serves as outside counsel to local, state, and federal elected officials and organizations navigating campaign finance, ballot access, and ballot referendum issues. He previously held roles in the White House, in the U.S. Senate, and on local, state, and presidential campaigns, including leading the North Carolina Biden-Harris and Harris-Walz Voter Protection and Ballot Access program in 2024.

“The legal implications of political engagement are increasingly complex, making specialized legal knowledge more important than ever,” said Duarte. “Our goal is to help organizations participate meaningfully in political discourse — while minimizing legal and reputational risk.”

The Political Law Practice advises clients involved in every stage of political participation, from engaging policymakers and funding campaigns to launching ballot initiatives and responding to regulator inquiries.

Guiding Political Engagement and Campaign Finance

We provide strategic counsel on corporate political activity, including contributions, event sponsorships, and compliance with federal and state “pay-to-play” laws. The firm also assists with campaign finance audits, independent expenditures, and issue advocacy to ensure clients can participate in the political process within legal parameters.

Providing Expertise in PAC Formation and Oversight

Our attorneys have extensive experience advising companies, trade associations, and nonprofits on the formation and management of political action committees (PACs). Services include registration, governance, fundraising, voluntary audits, and eventual wind-down procedures — all aligned with broader organizational goals.

Lobbying and Government Relations Compliance

We help clients understand their rights and responsibilities in engaging with government decision-makers, ensuring compliance with lobbying registration and reporting obligations across jurisdictions.

Advising Nonprofits and Advocacy Groups

For tax-exempt entities, we provide tailored legal strategies to enable effective advocacy within the boundaries of IRS and election law. This includes structuring affiliated PACs, managing regulatory filings, and ensuring compliance with federal and state election laws.

Supporting Clients During Investigations and Enforcement Actions

When political activity draws scrutiny, Our attorneys are prepared to respond. We represent clients in high-profile investigations and disputes before state and federal courts, campaign finance and ethics regulators, and election boards and commissions.

We also conduct internal investigations and coordinate with compliance teams.

Promoting Ethical Government Relations

We advise clients on ethics and gift laws governing interactions with public officials, including government gift and hospitality restrictions, post-employment limitations, conflicts of interest and related ethics considerations, and compliance strategies for procurement-sensitive industries.

As your organization contemplates how and where to engage in the upcoming election cycle, it’s imperative to understand and mitigate any risks so you can focus on the overarching objective: participating in the political process in a transparent way.

To learn more, see Political Law Practice on our website or contact Lisa Duarte.