Legal Framework
Political & Government Advisory Services Policy
Last Modified: June 17, 2026
1. Introduction
PMG Consulting (PMG) provides expert consulting services across all sectors, including political parties, government entities, and public advocacy organizations. This policy governs our political activities, expenditures, and government engagements to ensure rigorous compliance with all laws, maintain clear professional boundaries, protect the firm’s reputation for expert objectivity, and proactively manage conflicts of interest. Our work in the political domain is conducted as professional advisors, not as partisan actors, and is bound by the same standards of confidentiality and excellence as all our engagements.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all PMG personnel, including employees, independent contractors, embedded leaders, and executives. It also applies to all PMG-controlled entities and licensees regarding activities undertaken as PMG representatives. It covers all political consulting services, corporate political expenditures, lobbying, and personal political activities that could impact PMG.
3. Definitions
| Political Client: | A political party, candidate campaign, Political Action Committee (PAC), ballot measure committee, or political advocacy organization. |
|---|---|
| Government Client: | A department, agency, or entity of any federal, state, provincial, local, or international government. |
| Political Consulting Services: | PMG services provided to a Political or Government Client, including but not limited to policy development, market research, strategic planning, operational improvement, and election or re-election strategy. |
| Lobbying (Advocacy Services): | Direct or indirect communication with government officials to influence legislation, regulation, or policy on behalf of a client, where such activities trigger legal registration and reporting requirements. |
| Corporate Political Contribution: | Any direct or indirect contribution, donation, or gift of corporate funds or assets to a Political Client. |
4. Principles for Political & Government Consulting
PMG provides Political Consulting and Advocacy Services as a professional firm. The following principles are mandatory:
- Service, Not Endorsement: Providing services to a Political or Government Client does not constitute a corporate endorsement of that client’s platform, policies, or candidates.
- Confidentiality & Fiduciary Duty: PMG owes a strict duty of confidentiality and undivided loyalty to each client for the duration of their specific engagement, as governed by a master consulting agreement and Statement of Work (SOW).
- Expert Objectivity: Our value is derived from the objective application of data, research, and management expertise. Our work product must be defensible on its professional merits, independent of partisan outcomes.
- Conflict Management: Engagements with competing Political Clients or with clients whose positions conflict with other PMG clients (corporate or political) are subject to the strictest application of the Conflict of Interest & Client Segregation Policy, including the use of formal Chinese Walls.
5. Corporate Political Expenditures
PMG corporate funds will not be used for direct contributions to political parties, candidates, campaigns, or political action committees (PACs). This firm-wide prohibition on corporate political contributions is essential to prevent any confusion between professional service fees and political donations, and to mitigate legal and reputational risk across all jurisdictions where we operate. Necessary and lawful expenses incurred in the direct course of providing pre-approved Advocacy Services, such as government registration fees or compliance costs, constitute permissible business expenses. Prior to joining any industry association, PMG will scrutinize the association’s independent political activity. PMG will not direct its membership dues to be used for political contributions. Should an association’s independent political advocacy create a material conflict with PMG’s client interests or public reputation, the firm will conduct a formal review of its continued membership.
6. Personal Political Activity of Personnel
While PMG respects the right of its personnel to engage in personal political activities as private citizens, such activities must be strictly separated from their professional roles and must not compromise client confidentiality, create conflicts of interest, or damage PMG’s reputation. Personnel must never state, imply, or create the impression that their personal political views represent the position of PMG. The use of PMG time, facilities, equipment, or communication systems for personal political activity is expressly prohibited. Most critically, personnel assigned to an engagement for a Political Client are strictly prohibited from any personal public activity, including on social media, that opposes, undermines, or could materially damage that specific client during the term of the engagement. Violation of this client-specific restriction constitutes a fundamental breach of fiduciary duty and confidentiality, and will result in immediate removal from the project and severe disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
7. Approval & Compliance for Government Engagement
All prospective engagements with Political or Government Clients must undergo enhanced legal and strategic due diligence, requiring joint pre-approval from both the PMG Projects Team (projects@askpmg.com) and Legal Counsel (legal@askpmg.com). This diligence must assess potential political exposure and conflicts with existing clients. Any engagement that constitutes lobbying under applicable law is subject to mandatory pre-approval by Legal Counsel and must adhere strictly to all registration, reporting, and expenditure disclosure requirements. Legal Counsel retains ultimate responsibility for ensuring all compliance filings are accurate and timely. Individuals engaging with government officials in the course of such work must clearly identify themselves as consultants with PMG and, as legally required, disclose the specific client on whose behalf they are acting.
8. Transparency & Disclosure
PMG is committed to transparency in its governance and legal compliance. This policy will be made publicly available. The firm will fully and accurately disclose all lobbying expenditures and registrations as required by law in the relevant jurisdictions. It is a foundational principle that political advisory services constitute a confidential market segment for PMG. Outside of the specific, necessary disclosures mandated by law, PMG will not disclose its associations with Political Clients, nor the nature of its work for them. When a legal disclosure is unavoidable, the information will be limited to the minimum content required and shared only with the minimum number of individuals and entities necessary to fulfill the legal obligation.
9. Violations & Accountability
Violations of this policy will be treated with the utmost seriousness, as they risk legal liability and irreparable reputational harm. Disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including termination of employment or contract, and may involve legal proceedings to protect client confidentiality and PMG’s interests.