Services provided by this group include state contract procurement, intervention to create opportunities or to solve problems, the management of legislative and administrative activities - ranging from monitoring, research, and consultation - to direct and indirect lobbying to affect either enactment, amendment, or defeat of proposals. The firm has advised and appeared before, or provided services to, the Governor and his administration, every constitutional officer, the state legislature, many of its committees, and virtually all California state agencies, including the following entities:
- The Attorney General
- State Franchise Tax Board
- Board of Equalization
- Public Utilities Commission
- Department of Corporations
- Fair Political Practices Commission
- California Student Aid Commission
- Department of Food and Agriculture
- Department of Health Services
- Department of Industrial Relations
- Department of Consumer Affairs
- California Coastal Commission
- State Air Resources Board
- State Water Resources Control Board
- State Lands Commission
- State Office of Emergency Services
- Department of Fair Employment and Housing
- Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
- State Labor Commissioner
- State Insurance Commissioner
A primary focus of the Governmental Affairs practice is intervention in matters with the state government, and particular expertise in finance: banking, securities, municipal finance, tax-exempt bonds, insurance, international finance, and commercial finance. The firm is the principal outside counsel for state government matters for the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association and numerous securities firms on broker-dealer and investment banking matters.
Often working in tandem with Orrick’s Public Finance Department, the Governmental Affairs Department has undertaken a number of public finance legislative matters:
- Passing of taxable bond legislation, legislation governing usury and legislation governing the creation of pledges and security interests in connection with municipal debt
- Substantial broadening of investment authority for California municipal governments
- Authorizing the State of California and its municipalities to enter into contracts for interest rate and currency swaps and other hedge devices in conjunction with borrowing or investments, as well as provision for stripped California municipal bonds
- Issuance of bonds in foreign currencies
- Authorization of negotiated sales for a variety of bonds heretofore required to be sold competitively (such as tax allocation bonds and certain revenue bonds)
- Enabling local governments to issue refunding bonds with greater ease
- General obligation bond provisions for local governments
- Provisions for the issuance of tax and revenue anticipation notes for investment or reinvestment purposes
- Exemptions from sales and property taxes