About Us

Ward & Lawless LLC partners have more than 40 years' combined experience in this field.  They are a resource to both law firms and regulators.  Our outstanding team has the unique background, credentials and expertise to help you.

Mark Ward

Mr. Ward maintains regular contact with federal, state, and local enforcement agencies and, as he is known for his specialized working knowledge of campaign finance, gift and lobby disclosure laws at the various levels of government, he is often consulted for his opinion on compliance-related practice, systems or related issues. Recently, he was asked to serve on an advisory board which is being planned by the Government Accountability Office in response to LDA audits. In addition to developing programs and tracking systems to manage compliance required under the various statutes, Mr. Ward provides full-service administration and reporting services for PACs and political committees, candidates, lobbyists, corporations, and individuals whose political activities require disclosure. 

Prior to forming Ward & Lawless LLC, Mr. Ward was a Client Specialist in the Political Law Group at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. There, Mr. Ward was the head of the team that developed and administered compliance and reporting programs for many of the firm's clients. For six years, from 2001-2007, Mr. Ward assisted The Council on Government Ethics Laws (“COGEL”) with the preparation and compiling of materials for the annual COGEL conferences. From 2003-2007, he edited and published the COGEL Blue Book: Update on Legislation and Litigation, U.S. & Canada. Mr. Ward also maintained and published the electronic and online versions of Skadden's Ethics Handbook for Entertaining and Lobbying Public Officials - Gift and Gratuity and Lobbying Laws. 

Before Skadden, Mr. Ward worked for the United States Senate, where he served as the Secretary of the Senate's Administrator for Foreign Travel and Lobbying Disclosure. While at the Senate, Mr. Ward was directly responsible for the implementation of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 ("LDA") and the administration of the former disclosure law, the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946. Mr. Ward was accountable for drafting forms and formulating guidance during the last-minute passage of the LDA and ultimately revamped the disclosure program by authoring a new, all-inclusive guidance document and streamlined forms that incorporated the changes made by the Technical Amendments Act of 1998. He was also the architect behind the electronic filing and disclosure system used until recently by the Senate. 

Mr. Ward has served as a Reserve Officer with the Maryland Natural Resources Police, Marine Division, where, in addition to patrolling the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, he was an instructor at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police Training Academy at Matapeake and authored many training guides related to navigation, seamanship, boat handling, emergency procedures and police communications.

Mr. Ward is a Master Mason and is currently the Junior Deacon and Perpetual Member of Merritt Island Lodge No. 353 Free & Accepted Masons.  He and his wife, Maggie, live on their gentlemen’s farm in rural Cocoa, Florida.

Bridget Lawless

Prior to forming Ward & Lawless LLC, Ms. Lawless was a Client Specialist in the Political Law Group at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. While there, her clients were corporations, non-profits, campaigns and wealthy individuals. She developed and maintained full service, customized tracking, reporting and communications programs to keep them and their employees in compliance with federal, state and local election, lobby, gift, ethics and related tax laws. When needed, she served as a liaison for her clients with applicable government regulators. Confidentiality was a given.

Before Skadden, Ms. Lawless was at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. for more than 13 years, through three major corporate mergers and several smaller ones. At the time of her resignation, she oversaw a PAC program that solicited more than 50,000 employees worldwide, received approximately $1 million a year and gave to candidates and committees at the federal level and in 23 states. In addition to being PAC Director, she was responsible for monitoring all other political contributions - corporate, executive and employee industry-specific (i.e., MFPs, IMPs and procurement lobbyists) - and for organizing company-sponsored political fundraisers within applicable law. For most of her career, she was the corporate point-person for all questions regarding interacting with government officials: for bank branch and credit card staff calling with questions about accounts for candidates; for interacting with the Corporate Secretary's office when employees wished to run for public office; for approving all political checks and employee reimbursements run through Accounts Payable; and for drafting and updating all corporate written policies for these. Ms. Lawless also developed and managed employee grassroots programs, including budgeting, marketing, database management and employee training. And for many years she was the company's registered New York City Lobbyist.

Ms. Lawless earned Bachelor of Science degree in Business and English from Fairfield University and is a graduate of the CORO Leadership New York Program. She is a long time member, and former board member, of the New York-based Government Affairs Professionals and is an active participant in the efforts of the New York Advocacy Association. She has served on the State Regulation and Legislation Committee of the Securities Industry Association (now called the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association) and was a Regional Vice Chairman of the National Association of Manufacturers National Public Affairs Steering Committee. As a corporate representative with USA Engage, she was involved in the early stages of the 2000 Supreme Court Case NFTC vs. Baker, which found Massachusetts' Burma law (prohibiting the commonwealth from doing business with any company operating in that country) unconstitutional.

 Ms. Lawless lives in Connecticut with her husband and children and is very active in her community.

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