Ann
Ravel

Consultant

Phone: 408.279.8700

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A true champion for justice, Ann’s clients rely on her to handle high-stakes government regulation and litigation matters.

Ann has an impressive resume focused on tackling complicated regulatory matters for government agencies. Former chair of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the California Fair Political Practices Commission, she has taken on regulatory issues like campaign finance, lobbyist registration and reporting, and ethics and conflicts of interest related to officeholders and public employees. Ann has experience at every level of government, and she knows how to help clients navigate its many layers and functions.

Ann’s combined experiences with the Department of Justice and as County Counsel for Santa Clara County underscore her experience in the courtroom, where she has tried issues relating to criminal law, ethics, campaign finance and Constitutional law. A fierce and savvy advocate, Ann has additional experience handling tort and consumer litigation matters.

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Credentials
Admissions
- State Bar of California
- U.S. Supreme Court
Education
- J.D., University of California, Hastings College of Law
- B.A., University of California, Berkeley
Languages
- Portuguese
- Spanish
Experience
Representative Matters
- On several occasions, assisted in matters involving consumer finance issues, torts, white collar crime, and constitutional law.
- Successfully litigated highly sensitive sexual harassment and discrimination matters.
- Critical member of trial team in affirmative action case before U.S. Supreme Court.
- Mediated high-exposure political matters with community and elected officials.
Reported Cases
- Johnson v. Santa Clara County Transportation Agency, U.S. Supreme Court
- Robins v. Pruneyard, U.S. Supreme Court
- DiQuisto v. County of Santa Clara, California Supreme Court
- Santa Clara v. Atlantic Richfield Company, California Supreme Court
Awards & Honors
Awards
- Recipient of the California Woman of the Year Award (2025)
- Received ALF John Gardner Award
- Named to California Attorneys of the Year by California Lawyer Magazine (2014)
- Received Award for Contribution to Women’s Rights, Santa Clara County Status of Women Commission (2009)
- Named to Northern California Super Lawyers (2006-2009, 2019-2024)
- Recipient of Circle of Service Achievement Award, California State Association of Counties (2008)
- Named as a “Woman of Influence, Silicon Valley” by the San Jose Business Journal (2008)
- Named Public Attorney of the Year by the State Bar of California (2007)
- Named Professional Attorney of the Year, Santa Clara County Bar Association (2006)
- Recipient of Unsung Hero Award by the Santa Clara County Bar Association Diversity Committee (2006)
- Received Award for State and Local Government Law Advocacy by the American Bar Association (2002)
- Received Elizabeth Ent Award for Contributions to Law and Justice from the San Jose Mercury News (1985)
- Named Professional Woman of the Year Award by the San Jose Mercury News and Commission on the Status of Women (1984)
Articles & Blogs
Articles
- “Why Michael Cohen’s Campaign Law Violations Are Crimes” Law360
Speaking Engagements & Presentations
- University of California Santa Cruz, Law of Democracy, Guest Lecturer, 2021
- “Politics is Personal”, San Jose State University, Public Health Policy Course, 2021
- “The Federal Election Commission and Dysfunction”, University of Washington Law School, Election Law Class, 2021
- “The Surprising Relationship Between Anti-Semitism and COVID Disinformation on the Internet – and the Role of Law in Stopping It”, Jewish Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Course, 2020
- SCCBA 8th Annual Women Lawyers’ Symposium: Celebrating the 100th Year of Women’s Suffrage, 2020
- Guest Speaker, Celebration of Women’s History, The Impact of Women’s Right to Vote 100 Years Later, 2020
- Keynote speaker; California Women Lawyers, Elect to Run
- Panelist; Startup Policy Lab; The Future of Digital Citizenry: Campaign Finance, 2019
- Seminar; George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management: Campaigns After Cambridge Analytica Data Scandal, 2019
- Close the Gap CA Webinar: Dark Money/Clean Money: Can an Ethically-Minded Candidate Compete?, 2019
Professional & Community Contributions
- Member of Delegation of Transparencia, Monitoring El Salvadorian Legislative Elections, 2021
- Board Member, iCivics
- Board Member, Center for Political Accountability
- Board Member, National Institute of Money in State Politics
- Vice President, Board of Governors, State Bar of California
- Chair, Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation, State Bar of California
- Lawyer Representative, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- Board of Governors, California Women Lawyers Association
- Advisory Board Member, American Leadership Forum
- Member, Rotary Club of San Jose
- Member, Hispanic National Bar Association
- Member, Committee on Professional Competence and Ethics, State Bar of California
- Member of the Advisory Board, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University
- Adjunct Professor, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
- Former Board Member, Judicial Council of California
- Former Board Member, State Bar of California

Ann Ravel

Consultant

Admissions

Education

Languages

Representative Matters

Reported Cases

Awards

Articles

Ann
Ravel