I’m looking for an Off-the-Hill job and I’m wondering what lobbying firms you think are the best to work for.
I’ve heard good things about Akin Gump.
Squire Patton Boggs but only because you don’t actually do any work
Whole firm is a grift
Do you work for one of their competitors?
I don’t and I can tell you that SPB is comically awful. Their clients are just burning money and they don’t care.
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Why does anyone continue hiring them if they’re so bad?
The law division has a decent reputation, which leads people to think the lobbying division is just as good.
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What makes a “good” lobby shop? Are there specific metrics they use to judge lobbyists (e.g. # of meetings, specific legislation passed, etc.?) It seems difficult to judge performance on specific legislation getting passed given how hard it is to get anything to actually move in Congress.
Mehlman is pretty good but they’re smaller. One of my friends works there and it’s a good work-life balance and they seem to be pretty competent
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can’t speak to working there since I’m on the hill but mehlman’s people are always very helpful and i go to them for guidance sometimes. idk how much they’re paying them but clients are getting their money’s worth.
I hate SPB with every fiber of my being. Idiots and completely useless.
Metrics are mostly BS for the client. Number of meetings is a classic way to show you’re doing something when you’re doing nothing.
A good shop is one that Hill staff don’t dread hearing from. A good lobbyist has actual subject matter expertise and gives you intel you can use, not just the client’s talking points. They know the process and the people and they don’t waste your time. The best ones play the long game. They’re shaping the environment, providing data, and becoming a resource so that when you need to know about some obscure tech or trade issue, you call them.
Basically, are you a resource or are you an obstacle? The good shops are resources. The bad ones just clog up your inbox.
It’s about the brand. Some companies and foreign governments just want the perceived prestige of having a big name on retainer. It’s a box-checking exercise for them. They can tell their board or their government back home that they’ve hired K Street’s biggest players. Whether those players are actually doing anything is a separate question.
I think one of the worst has to be Ballard. They sell themselves on having close ties to the admin but the admin seems to be annoyed with them. Just my two cents.
I’ve generally had good experiences with the boutique shops (with some exceptions) as someone on the receiving end of their efforts. The larger firms tend to have very pretty slide decks, but zero situational awareness of what’s actually going on. They also tend to be way more arrogant in my experience.