How you can give to Trial Lawyers Legislative PAC
Since the Legislative PAC conducts independent expenditure campaigns, it can accept either personal or firm monies.
1. Send a check to:
Trial Lawyers Legislative PAC
PO Box 838
Helena, MT 59624
2. Contribute to Trial Lawyers Legislative PAC One Time Online, CLICK HERE
How you can give to Montana Law PAC
Since Montana Law PAC conducts independent expenditure campaigns, it can accept either personal or firm monies.
1. Sign up for monthly contributions - download the linked form, complete and email to mtla@mt.net or send to below mailing address.
2. Send a check to:
Montana Law PAC
PO Box 838
Helena, MT 59624
3. Contribute to Law PAC One Time Online, CLICK HERE
Contribute to Montana Constitution PAC
Lawyers and General Public Can Contribute
1. Send a check to:
Montana Constitution PAC
32 S. Ewing St., #304
Helena, MT 59601
2. Contribute to Montana Constitution PAC One Time Online, CLICK HERE
Thank You!
Incidental Committee Setup Guide If you are contributing from a firm account, please use this step by step guide on how to set up and report firm expenditures, and also needed for client letters sent in support or opposition to a candidate or ballot issue. DO NOT contribute firm funds without forming an incidental committee.
Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP) Reporting
When firm funds are used for contributions to a PAC or for Independent Expenditures(IE), like client letters, first you need to set up an incidental committee with the Commissioner of Political Practices [COPP] within 5 business days of making the expenditure. You will report the PAC portion as a contribution to Montanans for Liberty and Justice (Bidegaray) and Montanans for Fair and Impartial Courts (Lynch) when those reports are due - once you register, COPP will notify you of due dates by email. We also have to report the contribution, so we will need to know what you name your incidental committee - FYI, most firms just name their committee after the firm.
You will report IEs just to COPP on a schedule that COPP will provide, or see calendar below. This is when you would report the cost of client letters - staff time, letterhead, envelopes, postage.
Here's the link for COPP directions on setting up the committee.
As part of sign up you will need to enter these responses:
Purpose: To make contributions to independent committees for independent expenditures supporting Katherine Bidegaray and Jeremiah Lynch.
Position: Support
OR:
Purpose: To make contributions to independent committees for independent expenditures for candidates and issues that impact the civil justice system. No contributions are earmarked.
Position: Support
Client Letters
Contacting clients is an effective way to get the message out about judicial races. In the years that we have been doing this only a handful of clients have objected, most are happy to receive your advice AND they are likely to pass your advice onto family and friends.
You know your clients best, but messages that resonate include:
Fair and Impartial
Supports and Protects OUR Montana Constitution and our Rights Guaranteed by it [it depends on clients, “such as Right to Privacy, protecting our public lands and streams, access to our courts for injuries caused by others, etc”]
Follows the Rule of Law
Non-partisan, not beholding to a partisan agenda
Stands up to powerful special interests
Judicial experience,
Client letters are an Independent Expenditure [IE] in support of a candidate. They are not a contribution to the candidate's campaign, and the costs of client letters does not count against individual contribution limits to the candidate's campaign.
As an IE, the cost of client letters may have to be reported to the Commissioner of Political Practices [COPP]. REMINDER if you go over $50 or so in staff time, letterhead, envelopes, postage, etc. your firm should form an incidental committee, if you haven't done so already, and report this expenditure to COPP within 5 days of making the expenditure. If possible, email is the best way to keep costs down and avoid needing to report to COPP. If your firm has an incidental committee, you will just need to report the client letters cost [staff time, letterhead, envelopes, postage] and the number sent in the committee's report to COPP.
For the report you will also need to enter:
Purpose: Make independent expenditures supporting Candidate X.
Position: Support