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While law school is by no means necessary for a career in lobbying/government relations, it seems like most successful professionals within the field either have: A.) A significant amount of specific/niche professional experience and accumulated expertise or B.) A law degree + work in the lobbyist/government relations practices of Patton Boggs, etc. in Washington.

Does anyone have any experiences to share about specific lobbyist practices working within these firms? How is the culture / work / recruiting / hours / career progression different from the more traditional practice groups? Lastly, how much did/does your JD degree help you throughout your career? How, if it at all, was it a waste of time?

Background:
-Ties to DC (lived there)
-Applying to law schools in DC (Georgetown, George Washington)
-Happy to work in Washington post-LS
-Interested in advocacy/lobbyist/legislative work.. especially in/around international business, sustainability/environment, etc. etc.

Any insight would be awesome. Thanks.

Generally one should go to law school if they would like to be a lawyer.

A law degree doesn't let you skip factor A. Without significant experience on the Hill or lobbying, you aren't going to work in the lobbying practice groups at a firm.

Go pay your dues in the industry and then decide if you need the JD.

It sounds like what you need to do is snag an internship w/ a Member of Congress or think tank and then rise up the ranks there and then become a lobbyist.

Or you could get on a candidate's campaign and get on their staff that way, although luck is required there, as your candidate likely needs to win.

TooOld4This wrote:A law degree doesn't let you skip factor A. Without significant experience on the Hill or lobbying, you aren't going to work in the lobbying practice groups at a firm.

Go pay your dues in the industry and then decide if you need the JD.

Thanks for the advice - do have Hill experience.

You're saying all attorneys working in those practice groups have 'significant experience on the Hill or lobbying...?' For some reason I doubt that.. except for maybe working during LS/during the summer.

Goool29 wrote:

TooOld4This wrote:A law degree doesn't let you skip factor A. Without significant experience on the Hill or lobbying, you aren't going to work in the lobbying practice groups at a firm.

Go pay your dues in the industry and then decide if you need the JD.

Thanks for the advice - do have Hill experience.

You're saying all attorneys working in those practice groups have 'significant experience on the Hill or lobbying...?' For some reason I doubt that.. except for maybe working during LS/during the summer.

Hill experience =/= internship.

Go to Akin Gump and Patton Boggs websites. Notice how few associates there are in the lobbying groups. Notice that any of the ones who are actually really in the lobbying groups (rather than dabbling) were policy analysts, worked on the Hill for a significant amount of time, or otherwise have substanial relevant experience in the industry they are focused on. (Administrative lobbying is a different beast and can be more classically legal. Notice of proposed rule makings will generate a good amount of work, but isn't what people usually think of as lobbying.)

On rare occasion an attorney in a lobbying division will be there because he got roped in on an issue within his field of expertise and it turned out he was good at it and they kept him in there. That's in the realm of special snowflake unicorn who's been practicing for years already anyway, though. That's not you and practically guaranteed not to be you.

Yes, all the other attorneys in those divisions have extensive hill experience either as a staffer or as a lobbyist.

If that's what you want to do, the easiest place to break in -- after at least a couple years on the hill -- is with the govt affairs divisions of the smaller but highly active national trade organizations. Think Renewable Fuels Association, National Association of Office Properties, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, etc. But even with the trade associations, you're unlikely to land a position without connections or hill experience. The connections you can get -- with hill experience (you may be noticing a trend here).

besides lobbying this thread is way too presumptive for someone who hasnt applied. lol at being "happy" to work in DC. at my T6 you need an A average and Law review to get into a DC firm. Dc is insanely competitive. there's gotta be an easier way to do this kind of work instead of going to law school.

If you have enough experience/connections to do this, you don't have to ask TLS about it, you already know.

- Former lobbyist (who didn't)