Strategic Guidance for Interacting with Government Bodies and Officials

Dealing with the government is a struggle, period. Every industry and every business can and often will face a compelling need to coordinate and work with and/or around governmental entities. Yet even under ideal circumstances, government relations issues pose unique challenges.

At Smith & Fawer, LLC we understand the art and process of influencing public policy and building relationships with government at the local, state and federal levels. It involves delicate or sometimes more direct communication with government officials to persuade them to change or maintain policy to better or absolutely meet the needs of clients while achieving other goals.

Our team of attorneys including John C. Walsh – whose experience in government relations is highlighted by his service as deputy executive counsel to former Gov. John Bel Edwards – and Andre M. Stolier and others who have the background and knowledge of how to work with and/or around governmental entities. We strive to corral the machinations of the government to achieve the goals of our clients in New Orleans and across Louisiana.

Our team has substantial governmental relations and political experience that spans the ideological spectrum, whether it is coordinating lobbying strategies, developing targeted public relations campaigns, managing crises, or drafting legislation.

Our Services:

We can serve your many issues, including:

• Civil rights issues: Facing allegations of a violation of civil rights can lead to serious legal troubles and damage to reputations.
• Takings: We are leaders in the area of eminent domain.
• Elections: Pursuing public office can come with many surprising hurdles regarding campaign finance and advertising. We can help.
• Consulting: Providing guidance to public officials is a sensitive matter that you must pursue with considerable attention to detail.
• Ethics: When you seek to make an impact on how the government does business, there may inevitably come a time when your ethics are questioned.

We at Smith & Fawer, LLC have successfully written and facilitated the enactment of new statutes and regulations at the state, agency, and local level. We have extensive experience appearing before the Louisiana Legislature, zoning boards, library boards, the New Orleans City Council, and other local governing bodies.

And, while many government relations issues pose nuanced and delicate intricacies that many law firms seek to avoid, our team can expertly navigate your issues across or between ideological or party lines. These include navigating agency rule changes, administrative disputes or successfully representing clients in Anti-SLAPP lawsuits. We are well-positioned to help make an impact on your needs.

Understanding Anti-SLAPP In Louisiana

Louisiana’s robust anti-SLAPP law seeks to protect individuals’ freedom of speech and ability to partake in public discourse, yet these protections can often come at the expense of a company’s attempts to vigorously defend its name.

Anti-SLAPP laws do not preclude claims for defamation, but they do warrant caution when pursuing libel, slander, or other defamation lawsuits.

To find out how we can help your company, contact us quickly at 504-666-3178 or send us an email as soon as possible.