I’ve spent most of my career in governmental relations, and if there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s this: What we do is persuade. And the best advocates I know aren’t just persuaders; they’re translators. They take something genuinely complex and make it understandable, relevant, and usable by decision-makers juggling dozens of priorities at once. That skill has never mattered more.
Members of Congress and administration officials are drowning in data, opinions, and competing narratives. If you can’t cut through that noise with credibility and clarity, you get ignored. None of that has changed. Everything else has. When I look back at where I started and where we are now, the distance is striking.
People used to say lobbying was all about “who you know.” Building relationships is critical, but this is the starting point now, not the finish line. Lobbying used to be a pure, relationship-driven craft.
Today, it’s much more complex, scrutinized, and demanding. The fundamentals of credibility, preparation, and trust still hold. But the world we’re operating in bears almost no resemblance to the one I walked into.
The forces reshaping this profession most dramatically are money, rapid information, and emerging technology. These dynamics have accelerated in ways that would have been hard to imagine even a decade ago; together they’re redefining what it means to compete for a policymaker’s attention.
Money and Instant Information
Federal lobbying spending hit $5 billion, an all-time high, in 2025. With that kind of money in the system, the competition for a policymaker’s attention is fierce. And it’s not just the volume of spending that’s changed, it’s who’s spending it.
AI companies, Big Tech firms, and entire industries that barely existed a few years ago are pouring record sums into federal lobbying. What this means in practice is that the playing field has gotten significantly more crowded.
With so much money flowing into Washington, every interaction matters more, because the person across the table has 10 other meetings that day with people just as well-funded and just as prepared. If you can’t differentiate yourself with substance and trust, you’re just another voice in the crowd.
A single chat outside a committee room doesn’t necessarily move the marker anymore. You’ve got to bring substantive policy insight, coalition-building, real data, and the ability to communicate succinctly across a dozen platforms. I have to be just as comfortable describing a regulatory nuance to a committee staffer as I am turning that same issue into a clear, punchy message for a member’s personal staff or a client back home.
We’re also dealing with massive amounts of information hitting everyone in real time, and it’s only accelerating. Members of Congress and executive branch officials live under a microscope. Every meeting, every vote, every conversation can end up on a screen in a minute.
You just need to look at how quickly a potential legislative solution can come tumbling down. I know of a situation in which a long-deal between an individual member of Congress and a House Committee chairman cratered due to a social media post. Whether directly relevant to a situation or completely outside its scope, a single post can be a real influence on decision-making.
Big Tech’s Influence
AI and emerging technologies also can make legislation more difficult. One of our competitors produced a quick one-page, AI-generated summary only to discover that the information was simply wrong—the one page was about another piece of legislation.
That experience stuck with me because it exposed something fundamental about technology in our business: Speed without accuracy is worse than no speed at all.
Credibility and trust are everything in this business, and both are fragile. In my experience, members and staffers rely on lobbyists who tell them the truth, especially when it’s inconvenient. A polished AI-generated document that gets the facts wrong can undermine years of relationship-building in a single meeting.
Technology has made it possible for anyone to generate content, produce data visualizations, and flood inboxes with policy memos. But many policymakers have been burned by bad information and are more skeptical than ever. The lobbyists who thrive in this environment are those who use technology as a tool for preparation and insight, not as a shortcut to avoid the real work.
Charting a Path
Lobbyists know the rules, but the great ones understand the environment. Representing clients well in this era of rising wealth, rapid information, and big technological influence takes curiosity, patience, and a sincere willingness to listen.
Before I walk into a member of Congress’ office, I understand what my client wants and why it matters to them, how it fits inside the broader policy picture, and whether the ask is the right one. A lobbyist who advocates without that full understanding risks doing more harm than good. The goal is always long-term trust. Winning the issue and losing the relationship ultimately means you’ve lost the client as well.
There’s no single path to becoming a great lobbyist. But certain qualities consistently show up in people who are truly exceptional.
They’re students of government. They understand both process and substance. They’re disciplined communicators who can adapt their message while sitting across from a committee chair, addressing a roomful of clients, or posting an update on a social media platform. They anticipate obstacles before they materialize. And, above all, they’re honest brokers.
At the end of the day, the art of lobbying is really the art of service—to clients, to institutions of government, and to the public interest. This profession will keep changing, but the core principles endure. If we approach the work with integrity, humility, and a commitment to trust, we can continue to play a meaningful role in shaping policy for the better.
That’s what keeps me in this work, and it’s what I hope the next generation of lobbyists will carry forward.
This article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg Industry Group, Inc., the publisher of Bloomberg Law, Bloomberg Tax, and Bloomberg Government, or its owners.
Author Information
B. Jeffrey Brooks is a partner and federal government relations adviser at Adams & Reese.
Write for Us: Author Guidelines
To contact the editors responsible for this story: