State Attorneys General are lawyers for their state, and lawyers for “the people,” frequently in charge of large offices of assistant attorneys general and investigators. Their cases include consumer protection, charitable organizations, licensing, public corruption, public safety agency supervision, and a vast array of other areas. Over the past year, SALPAL has conducted interviews with several notable Attorneys General –incumbents Gurbir Grewal of New Jersey and Keith Ellison of Minnesota, and former Attorneys General, Greg Zoeller of Indiana and Lisa Madigan of Illinois, whose sixteen-year tenure makes her the longest-serving Attorney General in her state’s history. Grewal’s comments on his role in protecting vulnerable populations, Ellison’s take on prosecuting the police officers accused in the killing of George Floyd, and Lisa Madigan’s answer to the question “who is the client” are some of the highlights of these wide-ranging interviews.

State Attorney General Offices: Charitable Institutions, Non-Profits, and Antitrust Litigation

SALPAL hosted an event for Georgetown Law students to learn more about the work that state attorneys general do in their offices, focusing on regulation of non-profits and charities. Featuring former New Jersey AG Peter Harvey and current Assistant Attorney General Leonor Miranda with the Office of the Attorney General in DC, students were able to ask questions about this work and gain valuable insight about public service in state government.

Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta

On June 3, the Attorney General Teaching Affinity Group– a joint project of SALPAL, the National Attorney General Training and Research Institute (NAGTRI) and StateAG.org– hosted a discussion of Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta (consolidated with Thomas More Law Center v. Bonta) Among the interesting questions presented are (i) how the suit against California’s donor disclosure law highlights the role of state AGs in overseeing charities; (ii) the benefits of, and concerns triggered by, transparency; (iii) the significance of the dueling AG amicus briefs; and (iv) the potential implications for campaign finance disclosure. Panelists Richard Briffault, Cindy M. Lott, and Daniel B. Rodriguez all are experts on state law, administrative law and the law of charitable organizations. We were joined by academic experts and current and former government lawyers nationwide. Here is the conversation:

Who Decides? The AG or the Governor?

Following the State Attorney General workshop, SALPAL continues the conversation on the role of the Attorney General. For a lively conversation on who decides–the AG or the Governor, please view the conversation between Tom Corbett and Lisa Madigan, with commentary by Bill Marshall, and some great interventions by Richard Briffault, Cindy Lott, and Daniel Rodriguez.

The Teaching About AG’s in Law School: the New Imperative

On February 19, SALPAL co-hosted a program for prospective law school instructors teaching about state attorney general offices. See the recording of the workshop below.