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The top lobbying practices are based on revenues reported to Congress under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. In many cases, the firms provided the totals to CQ Roll Call; CQ Roll Call also tabulated totals using reports on file as of press time with the secretary of the Senate and by using data from the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
Rank | Lobby Shop | Revenue | Percent Change | 2011 Revenue | 2011 Rank | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Patton Boggs | 46 | -5 | 48.4 | 1 | Big rainmakers include former Sens. John B. Breaux and Trent Lott |
2 | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld | 31.2 | -17.9 | 38 | 2 | The firm's Smitty Davis called it a 'year in which there was much slower activity throughout Washington.' |
3 | Podesta Group | 27.5 | 1.5 | 27.1 | 3 | Top spending clients included Accretive Health and US Airways |
4 | Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck | 22.5 | 1.8 | 22.1 | 5 | Firm has 'strong momentum going into 2013,' said managing partner Al Mottur. |
4 | Van Scoyoc Associates | 22.3 | -11 .9 | 25.3 | 4 | Filed terminations for Autism Speaks and the Sacramento County Airport System in the 4th quarter of 2012 |
6 | Williams & Jensen | 18 | 0 | 18 | 10 | Big clients included Bloomberg LP and United Airlines |
7 | Holland & Knight | 17.7 | -6.8 | 19 | 8 | Firm officials say they do more non-LDA work with the executive branch |
8 | K&L Gates | 17.1 | -8.6 | 18.7 | 9 | Bottom line boost from clients Pitney Bowes and Boeing Employees' Credit Union |
9 | Cassidy & Associates | 15.5 | -23.3 | 20.2 | 6 | Former top firm continues LDA revenue slide |
10 | Ogilvy Government Relations | 13.9 | -30.2 | 19.9 | 7 | Lost top rainmakers and major client Chevron in 2012 |
11 | BGR Group | 13.7 | -11.6 | 15.5 | 11 | New client Chevron a big spender at the firm |
12 | Alston + Bird | 13.7 | 0 | 13.7 | 13 | Lobby team led by former Sens. Bob Dole and Blanche Lincoln and ex-Reps. Billy Tauzin and Earl Pomeroy |
13 | Peck, Madigan, Jones & Stewart | 13 | 10.2 | 11.8 | 18 | Biggest and notable clients included U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Deutsche Bank Securities and Facebook |
14 | Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti | 12.9 | 3.2 | 12.5 | 16 | Personal Care Products Council, Wal-Mart among client list |
15 | Hogan Lovells | 12.5 | -18.8 | 15.4 | 12 | Nissan North America a big driver of business for the firm |
16 | Capitol Counsel | 12.1 | 11 | 10.9 | 22 | Represented Amgen and American Bankers Association |
17 | Washington Council Ernst & Young | 11.5 | -5 | 12.1 | 17 | Terminated with clients Amgen, Advanced Medical Technology Association |
17 | McBee Strategic Consulting | 11.5 | -10.9 | 12.9 | 15 | Boeing, Google among client roster |
19 | Cornerstone Government Affairs | 11.3 | -13 .1 | 13 | 14 | Clients in 2012 included Chobani Yogurt, Johnson & Johnson and Visa |
20 | Covington & Burling | 10.9 | -2.7 | 11.2 | 20 | Filed termination with Caterpillar after it paid $120,000 for fourth quarter |
21 | Fierce Isakowitz & Blalock | 10.5 | -2.8 | 10.8 | 23 | All-GOP shop is the biggest firm that is not bipartisan |
22 | Duberstein Group | 10.3 | 4 | 9.9 | n/a | Most clients pay flat $100,000-per-quarter lobby tab |
22 | Capitol Tax Partners | 10.3 | -6.4 | 11 | 21 | Lobbyists include tax experts Lindsay Hooper, Jon Talisman and Joe Mikrut |
24 | Alpine Group | 9.7 | -8.5 | 10.6 | n/a | Client list includes BP America, Recording Industry Association of America and Wal-Mart |
25 | Venable | 9.6 | -1 | 9.7 | n/a | Former Rep. Bart Stupak lobbies for such clients as the Entertainment Software Association and Endo Pharmaceuticals |