ABA's 'The Lobbying Manual' will help lawyers serve clients

Each year, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent by corporations, organizations, associations and other groups to influence Congress and the executive branch of the federal government.

To help lawyers and lobbyists serve their clients and employers effectively and act within the bounds of the law and professional norms, the American Bar Association Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice has published a fifth edition of its invaluable guide, “The Lobbying Manual: A Complete Guide to Federal Lobbying Law and Practice, Fifth Edition.”

The book is considered the most comprehensive treatment of federal lobbying law available.

This updated manual provides guidance on the entire spectrum of legal restrictions that might apply to federal government relations work.

It features new chapters on the impact of the recently enacted STOCK Act as well as the SEC’s pay to play rules. For the first time, this edition provides deep analysis of campaign finance laws and rules that affect corporate participation in elections.

More than 20 experts in the broad field of government relations and campaign finance share their knowledge and expertise in this latest edition of “The Lobbying Manual.” Rebecca H. Gordon, partner in the Political Law Group at Perkins Coie, and Thomas M. Susman, director of the ABA Governmental Affairs Office, co-edited the book, a joint project of ABA Publishing and Perkins Coie.

“‘The Lobbying Manual’ is a must-have desk reference for any lawyer or government relations practitioner who interacts with the federal government on behalf of a client,” Gordon said.

“It addresses in detail the three compliance topics most relevant to these folks — lobbying regulation, gift rules and campaign finance law. And it includes discussions of many other legal issues particularly relevant to government relations professionals.”

“Although every lobbyist knows how indispensable information is for government decision-makers, we operate under intense media scrutiny and are continuously subject to a critical eye from politicians and government officials,” Susman said. “Knowing where the laws and rules draw lines regulating our lobbying activities — and staying within those lines — is not an option for lobbyists. ‘The Lobbying Manual’ shows where those lines can be found.”