Legal Slice

Big Law firms and their political action committees (PACs) are channeling more funds to Republican candidates in the 2024 elections, while overall spending on political campaigns has decreased compared to previous cycles. According to data from the Federal Election Commission analyzed by The American Lawyer, about 35 Am Law 200 firms and firm PACs have contributed approximately $513,530 to congressional races so far this year, a decrease from nearly $1m in 2022 and about $700,000 in 2020. Notably, Republicans have received $268,025 so far, surpassing the $231,863 donated to Democrats. This shift marks a significant change from the 2022 and 2020 cycles when Democrats received the majority of contributions from Big Law. Contributions are spread across parties, with some firms like Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough and Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer donating equally to both major party committees. However, Hunton Andrews Kurth has shown a strong preference for Republican candidates in its early 2024 donations. The most substantial individual recipient has been Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, who has received $42,500 from Big Law sources. K&L Gates’ PAC is currently the top spender, contributing over $60,000 to various campaigns and PACs.