Brett A. Seifried

Nonprofit Work

In his nonprofit practice, he advises organizations on complex transactions and entity structures, as well as high-level investment activities. He advises on governance structures, joint ventures, state and federal tax compliance, and innovative uses of nonprofit corporations within overall corporate arrangements. He also specializes in the rules governing advocacy activities, including the use of charitable organizations, social welfare organizations, business leagues, and other exempt organizations to maximize client’s advocacy impact. 

Political Law

In his political law practice, Brett advises businesses and organizations on the rules governing attempts to influence all levels of government. He counsels clients on compliance with campaign finance laws and regulations at federal, state, and local levels of government, including:

• The permissibility of political contributions and activities by corporations, PACs and other entities
• Reporting and registration requirements and ethics restrictions imposed on contributors
• Pay-to-play laws

He also advises clients on lobbying laws, including the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 and state and local lobbying laws, and governmental ethics statutes and rules governing gifts and travel. Brett advises business on the impact of the Foreign Agents Registration Act and other rules governing foreign corporate affiliates or subsidiaries.

Clients value Brett for his plain-language approach and commitment to efficient, favorable solutions.

Prior Experience

Brett joined Faegre Drinker after clerking for Judge L. Paige Marvel of the United States Tax Court, where he assisted the judge in drafting opinions and gained substantial experience with tax procedure and controversy. Before that, he served for several years as the general counsel of a national nonprofit organization. There, he guided the board of directors and senior executives through the complex tax, political, lobbying and corporate governance matters that regularly confront nonprofit organizations.

Brett received an L.L.M. in taxation, with distinction, from Georgetown University Law Center. He received his J.D., magna cum laude, from American University Washington College of Law, where he served as a clinical attorney at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, providing counsel to 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) clients on nonprofit, political and tax law concerns. While in law school, he also served as law clerk in the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section, where he helped attorneys investigate and prosecute public corruption crimes.

Faculty Positions

• American University Washington College of Law — Guest Lecturer, Fall 2018, Fall 2019

Personal Interests

Brett has lived in Washington, D.C., since 2006, and he enjoys all that the nation’s capital has to offer. In his personal time, Brett enjoys cooking, running and going to the movies.