Douglas Chalmers

Doug Chalmers practices in the area of federal and state political law and litigation.  Before establishing the Political Law Group, he was a partner in the political law and litigation practice groups at McKenna, Long & Aldridge LLP.  Doug has twice been recognized in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business as one of the leading political law attorneys in the nation.  Politics magazine has also identified him as one of the most influential Republicans in Georgia.

Doug advises businesses, nonprofit organizations, chambers of commerce, trade associations, political action committees, elected officials, candidates, political parties, lobbyists and government agencies on the federal and state laws that govern involvement in political activities.  This includes election law, campaign finance, lobbying, Federal Communications Commission regulations, government contracts, pay-to-play rules and government ethics.  He advises on compliance and handles litigation and administrative law proceedings involving these issues.  He also has experience in civil litigation involving libel and defamation, wrongful death, insurance coverage, contract disputes, class action consumer fraud, and other matters.  

As part of his practice, Doug has successfully defended clients in numerous high-profile cases.  His clients have included a former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; Georgia's former Governor; a Senate President Pro Tempore and two Speakers of the Georgia House of Representatives; the Senate and House Majority Leaders; Justices of the Georgia Supreme Court; Judges on the Georgia Court of Appeals; the Georgia Republican Party, and the Georgia House Republican Caucus.  He was the chief lawyer in Georgia for the 2008 McCain presidential campaign, served as Chairman of Lawyers for Rudy Giuliani in the southeastern United States, and was a Co-Chair of Georgia Lawyers for Romney-Ryan.  He is also the Chairman of the Political Activities Subcommittee of the Nonprofit Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia.

Doug is also a frequent speaker in the area of political law, and he has addressed CLE seminars around the country.  He has testified before legislative committees concerning government ethics and ethics reform, and is regularly contacted by the media on these issues.  Law & Politics and Atlanta Magazine have recognized Doug as a Georgia Super Lawyer Rising Star.

Doug is also active in the community and in civic affairs.  He was appointed by Governor Sonny Perdue to the Board of Directors of the Georgia Department of Driver Services, and he served as Vice-Chair of the Board.  He is on the Board of Governors of the Republican National Lawyers Association, and is the immediate past chairman of the RNLA's Georgia chapter.  He is active in the Federalist Society, serving on the Executive Committees of the Atlanta Lawyers Chapter and the Free Speech and Election Law Practice Group.  He is an Assistant Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 27 in Johns Creek.  

Doug received his undergraduate and law degrees from Duke University.  He was an editor of the Duke Law Journal and a member of the Moot Court Board, and he received the James S. Bidlake Award for Superior Achievement in Legal Research and Writing.  He clerked for Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Doug is admitted in Georgia and the District of Columbia.