Kate Sawyer Keane Esq.

Perkins Coie LLP
Keane, Kate S.

Kate Sawyer Keane is a partner with Perkins Coie LLP in the Washington, D.C. office.  She focuses her practice on political law including federal and state campaign finance law, Congressional and Executive Branch ethics regulation, and lobbying registration and disclosure. She counsels federal and state elected officials, candidates, political parties, trade associations, corporations, PACs and other political organizations on campaign finance issues.

She also counsels on lobbying disclosure, foreign agents' registration and reporting requirements, pay-to-play restrictions,and governmental ethics statutes and rules at the federal, state, and local level. She counsels Members of Congress, congressional staffers, Executive Branch employees, and presidential nominees on issues related to financial disclosure and conflicts of interest. In addition, she advises corporations with respect to their political activity policies and compliance programs.  She received her B.A. from Yale University and her J.D. from the New York University School of Law.

Ms. Keane is co-author of Bloomberg BNA Corporate Practice Portfolio Series No. 16-6th, Regulation of Corporate Political Activity.  This portfolio volume analyzes the role of corporations in the political process. Beginning with a discussion of the history of the regulation of corporate political activity, including the early statutes, and the Federal Election Campaign Act, the portfolio discusses the formation and organization of political action committees, solicitation of contributions, and fund reporting requirements. Emphasis is also placed on nonpartisan communications and miscellaneous political activity, state law regulating corporate political activity, and penalties and remedies relating to the enforcement of both federal and state law.