Elias Law Group is an American law firm founded by Democratic election lawyer Marc Elias. The firm is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with additional offices in Seattle, Washington. Elias Law Group describes itself as "a mission-driven firm committed to helping Democrats win, citizens vote, and progressives make change."
In a 2021 interview with The New Yorker, Elias said the firm "represents only clients who meet at least one of three criteria: they must be Democrats or an organization that helps Democrats win elections; they are bringing cases that challenge laws that restrict voting; or they are a progressive group that meets the values of our firm."
Chambers and Partners, the leading independent professional legal research company, described Elias Law Group as "a political law boutique boasting a deep bench of experienced practitioners able to advise on complex election law matters. The firm offers particular prowess in voting rights and redistricting litigation and is well placed to assist Democratic campaigns and institutions, as well as nonprofit organizations."
In 2022, POLITICO reported that Elias Law Group represented 950 clients, including more than 150 Democratic House and Senate campaigns and Members of Congress.
History
Elias Law Group was founded on September 2, 2021 with 15 partners and 50 total lawyers.
On October 4, 2022, Elias Law Group partner Abha Khanna argued on behalf of the Caster respondents in Allen v. Milligan, a landmark United States Supreme Court case related to redistricting under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA). In a 5-4 decision, the Court ruled that Alabama's districts likely violated the VRA, maintained an injunction that required Alabama to create an additional majority-minority district, and held that Section 2 of the VRA is constitutional in the redistricting context.
In November 2022, Elias Law Group represented U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock during the runoff election, winning a lawsuit that allowed counties to offer early voting on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
Following the 2022 midterm election in Arizona, Elias Law Group represented Governor Katie Hobbs after defeated Republican candidate Kari Lake contested the election results.
Elias Law Group represented plaintiffs in Moore v. Harper, a landmark case in which the United States Supreme Court ruled that the Elections Clause does not give state legislatures sole power over elections, rejecting the independent state legislature theory.
References
- "Elias Law Group". Elias Law Group LLP. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- Halpern, Sue (2022-04-13). "The First Defense Against Trump's Assault on Democracy". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- "Elias Law Group LLP, Political Law | Chambers USA Profile". chambers.com. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- Rodríguez, Jesús A. (2022-12-21). "Why Marc Elias Wants to 'Babysit' the Republican Party". POLITICO. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- Newsham, C. Ryan Barber, Jack. "How Marc Elias, the Democrats' $1,200-an-hour legal bulldog, is preparing for his own war with Trumpism". Business Insider. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Rodríguez, Jesús A. (2022-12-21). "Why Marc Elias Wants to 'Babysit' the Republican Party". POLITICO. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- Lum, Justin (2022-12-26). "Kari Lake election lawsuit: Sanctions denied, but more than $33K awarded to Katie Hobbs". FOX 10 Phoenix. Retrieved 2023-10-23.