Chris Ashby, Partner

Chris Ashby is a lawyer, former political speechwriter and veteran campaign operative. He combines in-depth legal knowledge and sound political judgment to help his clients navigate a complex, multi-layered and ever-changing maze of federal, state and local laws and regulations governing participation in the political process.

Chris received his undergraduate degree from the University of Richmond in 1996, and is a 2001 graduate, cum laude, of the University of Richmond’s T.C. Williams School of Law. He studied political activity law in the Masters of Law program at the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.

During his legal career, Chris has represented Fortune 100 and 500 corporations, advised several presidential campaigns and counseled senatorial and congressional candidates, statewide campaigns and politically active non-profit organizations. He has defended elected officials and campaign consultants in high-stakes political investigations, is one of the country’s most experienced recount lawyers and represented one of the largest Super PACs in the 2015-2016 federal election cycle. He also is pioneering the use of LLCs and other for-profit corporate forms for political purposes.

In 2017, Washingtonian listed Chris as a “top lawyer” for campaign and election law. Washington, D.C. and Virginia Super Lawyers magazines have identified Chris as a “rising star” in the practice of governmental (2007) and political law (2008-2015). The American Spectator has reported that he is “one of the best in the country for this kind of thing.”

Maria Benincasa, Executive Assistant

Maria Benincasa is First Street’s Executive Assistant and is the main point of contact for all incoming matters to the firm. As executive assistant, Maria works with the managing partner to prioritize firm projects and distributes new work to other team members. In her broader role, Maria manages scheduling for the firm, client communications, and internal workflow tracking. She provides daily administrative support to Chris Ashby and oversees long-term organizational projects.

Before joining the firm, Maria worked as the Executive Assistant to the President at the American Foreign Service Association, the professional association and labor union for the U.S. Foreign Service.

Maria is a graduate of James Madison University with a B.A. in International Affairs and a minor in Economics.

Justin Riemer, Partner

Justin Riemer has practiced for years at the highest levels of election law and national politics—first as an attorney for Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, then as an election administrator in a presidential battleground state, and most recently as the Republican National Committee’s Chief Counsel from 2018 to 2022.

Over the course of that career, Justin has represented and advised clients and high-ranking Republican officials on political law matters, including the President of the United States, the Chair of the Republican National Committee, Governors, Members of Congress and state legislators. His experience spans the spectrum of political law issues, including ballot access, campaign finance strategy and compliance, internal political party governance, party-run caucuses, recounts and close elections, election integrity issues, public records requests, voting litigation and political technology.

Having been actively engaged as an attorney in every national election since 2008—either as a campaign attorney, a party committee attorney or an election administrator—Justin has a unique and intricate understanding of how campaigns and elections are run and won. He has written and presented extensively on election law matters, including before the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, the Committee on House Administration and the Virginia General Assembly. He has been quoted in publications including The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times and National Review.

Justin is admitted to practice law in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. He graduated from Gettysburg College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Religion and received his law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law. In 2021, Justin received the Republican National Lawyers Association’s Robert J. Horn Chairman’s Award for nationally distinguished service in support of the honesty and accuracy of elections.