William J. Farah

Election, Lobbying and Government Ethics Law

Mr. Farah is a partner with the law firm of Oldaker, Belair & Wittie LLP, where he represents and advises clients on the campaign finance, anti-corruption, lobbying and government ethics laws. His clients include Fortune 500 companies, trade associations, labor unions, PACs, campaign organizations and other non-profit organizations engaging in legislative and political affairs. Mr. Farah appears regularly before the Federal Election Commission, the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, the Congressional Ethics Committees, the Department of Justice, the Internal Revenue Service and State, municipal and local election, lobbying and ethics authorities. He has been involved in a number of high-profile investigations and has counseled several nominees for cabinet, ambassadorial and other senior executive branch positions. In addition to his political law practice, Mr. Farah advises clients on planning, forming, financing and operating new ventures (for-profits and non-profits), including advice on corporate governance and commercial law matters. Mr. Farah served as General Counsel to Biden for President (2007-08) and Clark for President (2003-04). He also serves as legal advisor to a number of Democratic Senators and House Members, including their campaign committees and leadership PACs. In 1999, Mr. Farah served as General Counsel to the NATO 50th Anniversary Summit Host Committee, a tax-exempt charity formed by the transatlantic business community to assist the White House and State Department in hosting the NATO Washington Summit.

Mr. Farah also is founder and principal of The Political Law Compliance Institute LLC, a consulting firm that conducts compliance training programs for companies, trade associations, campaigns and other political organizations with professionals who are engaged in political activity. Mr. Farah is a Professorial Lecturer of Law at The George Washington University School of Law in Washington, D.C., where he teaches a course on lobbying and the laws regulating legislative and campaign activities.

Education

University of Rochester, Bachelor of Music (1979)
American University Washington College of Law, J.D. (1988)
       Graduated Cum Laude
       Associate editor of law review

Bar Admissions

District of Columbia (1989)

Contact

(202) 496-3476
wfarah@obwlaw.com