Ballard Spahr
Kate Belinski

Kate A. Belinski

Partner She / Her / Hers
Washington, DC

Kate Belinski practices political and election law with a focus on lobbying and public policy, campaign finance, government ethics, and matters involving administrative law. Kate's clients include corporations, trade associations, other nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, as well as PACs, Super PACs, other political committees, candidates, and officeholders. She counsels numerous members of Congress and their staffs on legal and financial disclosure obligations under the Ethics in Government Act and represents them before the House and Senate Ethics Committees.

She leads the firm's Political and Election Law practice and co-leads the Exempt Organizations team. Earlier in her career, Kate served as Senior Counsel to the Chair of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), subsequent to serving as an attorney in the Enforcement Division and as the agency’s Deputy Ethics Officer. She uses her deep legal knowledge to counsel clients on a range of issues under federal laws, including the Federal Election Campaign Act, Lobbying Disclosure Act, Foreign Agents Registration Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and Administrative Procedure Act, as well as state and federal pay-to-play laws. She advises on regulations promulgated by the IRS, Federal Communications Commission, and Securities and Exchange Commission, and represents clients in investigations by U.S. Senate and House committees, the Department of Justice, federal agencies, and state attorneys general.

Services

Professional Highlights

Pro Bono Experience

Kate serves pro bono as general counsel of Women in Government Relations, a non-partisan professional society, and provides pro bono counsel to the Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN) and the Juvenile Law Center.

Professional Activities

Women in Government Relations, General Counsel

Recognition & Accomplishments

Chambers USA, government: political law, (nationwide), 2017-2023

Named a "D.C. Rising Star" by the National Law Journal, 2017

Named a "Top Lawyer," for Campaign and Election law by Washingtonian Magazine, 2015, 2017, and 2018

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, "Obtaining Federal and State Government Contracts for Clients," Rossdale CLE, January 13, 2022

Speaker, “The Lesser-Known Compliance and Audit Aftermath of FARA Registration: Pitfalls to Avoid for Filing, Labeling, Record-Keeping, and More,” ACI’s 3rd National Forum on FARA, December 9, 2021

Speaker, “What to Expect from the Biden Administration,” ACC Minnesota Conference, June 2021

Board Memberships & Community Service

St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Church Council member

St. Paul's Men's Shelter, Advisory Committee member

St. Paul's Food Pantry, Volunteer Coordinator

Friendship Place Congregation Committee member

Related Insights 

Credentials 

Education

George Mason University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2006)

American University (B.A. 2001)
Phi Beta Kappa

Admissions

District of Columbia

Virginia