Awards & Rankings 06.05.25
With Record Results, Pillsbury's 2025 Chambers USA Rankings Reflect Emphasis on the Intersection of Technology Innovation, Capital and Government
The Firm Earned 52 Practice and 126 Lawyer Rankings in the Prestigious Guide
Emily knows her stuff inside and out. She is fluent in political law and up to date with developments. She is comprehensive in her advice and is incredibly responsive, going above and beyond.
Emily Erlingsson serves as leader of Pillsbury’s Political Law group. Emily has an in-depth understanding of the laws regulating campaign finance, lobbying, ethics, pay-to-play and conflicts of interest nationwide.
Emily provides compliance advice to corporations, political committees, high-net-worth individuals, trade associations and nonprofit organizations on compliance with federal, state and local political laws.
Representative Experience
- Counsel to a large U.S.-based pharmaceutical company, advising on political law compliance, including federal PAC rules, state contribution laws and lobbying disclosure requirements. Oversees federal and multistate lobbying reports, counsels on procurement lobbying laws, and delivered a 50-state survey of pay-to-play campaign restrictions and gift laws.
- Counsel to one of the world’s largest infrastructure consulting firms, advising on political law compliance at the federal and state levels, including filing lobbying and campaign reports in multiple jurisdictions.
- Advises a large energy and defense company on political law compliance, including federal PAC, lobbying and ethics matters, as well as campaign and lobbying activities in California.
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- Counsel to one of the world’s largest utility-scale solar and energy storage developers, advising on political law compliance, including federal and state PAC issues, lobbying disclosure, multistate reporting and compliance training.
- Counsel to a multinational financial services company, advising on political law compliance, including federal and state lobbying issues, and managing lobbying disclosure reporting at the federal level and in California.
- Advises a large telecommunications company on California campaign finance, lobbying and ethics law compliance.
- Advises a multinational business software company on political law compliance, including state and local campaigns, lobbying and gift laws, managing multistate filings and California campaign reports.
- Advises a ride-hailing company on federal political law compliance, including ethics, lobbying, campaign finance and conflicts of interest.
- Advises a private university on federal, state and local political law compliance, including lobbying and ethics rules, congressional travel regulations, hosting an election-day vote center and political activity guidelines for elections.
- Advises a boutique investment bank on campaign finance compliance and gift and ethics issues involving public officials.
- Counsel to a global sustainable ingredients company, advising on political law compliance, including lobbying, campaign contributions, PAC reporting and annually provides a 50-state survey of lobbying and contribution laws.
- Advises the founders of a multinational retail company on California campaign contribution compliance and reporting, including preparation and filing of all required reports.
- Advises a leading food and beverage services company on federal, state and local political law compliance, including campaign finance pay-to-play restrictions.
- Advises a cybersecurity company on political law compliance, including PAC formation and reporting, lobbying compliance and lobbying disclosure in several states, including New York and Maryland.
- Counsel to a biopharmaceutical company, advising on political law compliance, including federal PAC reporting and multistate lobbying disclosures across Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Oregon, Iowa, Washington and Massachusetts.
- Advises a clean energy company on California lobbying and campaign finance compliance, including disclosure obligations and filing lobbying and campaign reports.
- Advises a global investment bank on political law compliance, including federal, state and local lobbying and campaign finance laws, and multistate lobbying disclosures.
- Advised a petrochemical company on political law compliance, including PAC affiliation rules, state campaign and lobbying issues, Texas gift laws and Foreign Agents Registration Act requirements.
- Successfully represented clients in reaching settlement agreements with the Fair Political Practices Commission for alleged violations of lobbying and campaign contribution laws.
- Assisting clients with the filing of federal, state and local lobbying reports and campaign reports.
- Assisting clients with the formation, reporting and compliance issues related to federal PACs.
- Assisting clients with the development and administration of comprehensive political law compliance programs.
Professional Highlights
- Recognized by Chambers USA in Nationwide Political Law (2021–2025)
- Has prepared and presented several Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) seminars concerning compliance with political laws.
- California Political Attorneys Association, Bar Association of San Francisco
Education
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J.D., University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, 2005
B.A., Sociology, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2001
Syracuse University
Study Abroad Program, London, England, 2000
Admissions
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California