Administrative law governs the procedures and authority of government agencies at both federal and state levels. Federal administrative law, shaped by the Administrative Procedure Act, sets the framework for agency rulemaking, adjudication, and judicial review. Federal agencies — from the EPA and FCC to the FDA and SEC — operate under this framework; disputes with federal regulators are litigated in federal courts.

State administrative law operates in parallel. Every state has its own administrative procedure act governing how agencies — licensing boards, environmental regulators, utilities commissions, and workers' compensation boards — must proceed. The substantive law underlying state agency authority, the standard of review courts apply to agency decisions, and procedural rights available to parties differ by state in ways that matter significantly for outcomes.

Professionals facing licensing board proceedings, businesses challenging state regulatory orders, and individuals disputing benefit denials all face a landscape defined by their state's administrative law. The right attorney knows the federal APA and the specific procedural rules of the agency and state court system at issue. Use the state selector below to find administrative law attorneys in your jurisdiction.