A lobbyist is a person who tries to influence legislation on behalf of a special interest. In the modern world of politics, almost every special interest you can imagine has a voice representing it before government.

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The act of lobbying is defined in many ways but essentially it is the act of communicating with a public official for the purpose of influencing the passage, defeat, amendment, or postponement of legislative or executive action. Who is considered a “public official” may vary between states and/or countries but typically it is thought to include: members of a legislature, individuals elected to positions in the executive branch of a government, or individuals appointed to or employed within the executive branch of a government if they make policy, purchasing or contracting decisions, if they draft legislation or make rules, if they determine rates or fees, or if they make adjudicative decisions.

Many large entities and interest groups employ lobbyists on a full time basis. If you think your groups’ concerns are not being heard at a level of government it is also possible to hire a lobbyist on a contract basis. As a result, sometimes when a specific issue is being brought up in Congress or before a government committee, certain groups will hire a lobbyist to make sure its position on the issue gets heard.

When looking to hire a lobbyist it is best to find a “veteran” who has an extensive political network including both administration and congressional contacts. He or she should have a stellar reputation among both peers and lobbying contacts. And he/she should have experience with the congressional committees or government agencies with jurisdiction over the issue areas to be lobbied.

Retaining a lobbyist is a very individual decision with few concrete guidelines. But it should be recognized that no single professional has the skill to resolve every lobbying problem. It is also important to be aware that no lobbyist enjoys a 100% success rate; there are always excellent lobbyists on the losing end of every congressional debate.