A lobbying firm is a type of company that conducts political activity on behalf of a client. It is required to register with the LDA. Lobbying firms must register with the LDA if they are required to do so and if they make more than $3,000 in lobbying revenue during a quarter. These organizations are typically nonprofits and may work together to accomplish lobbying goals for clients. Whether a lobbying firm is required to register is up to the company, but there are some exceptions.

 

For example, Corporation "C" does not employ a lobbying firm. However, its employee "X" contacted a member of Congress in June and spent 25 percent of her time discussing a legislative issue. In the August quarter, the employee was told to follow up with the Congressman because the company had registered on August 5, 2015.

 

A successful lobbying firm has many benefits. A team of lawyers with extensive experience in various policy areas provides personalized service, and each member of the firm is always on call. A highly functioning lobbying firm will have a large staff of experts who have the knowledge and connections to achieve results. They also know how to build trust with government officials and have a long-standing reputation. This is a crucial component of success. In Pennsylvania, a firm with long-standing relationships with key officials and other influential individuals can achieve great things.

 

Lobbying activity is allowed under the First Amendment, which prohibits Congress from abridging individual freedoms and guarantees the right to petition the government. Lobbying activity dates back to the early days of the federal government, and has gotten bigger with time. The Lobbying Disclosure Act was passed in 1995, requiring the disclosure of lobbying activities. Another law, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, seeks to make government more transparent, see page for more info on lobbying services: https://lockhartgrouputah.com/services/government-relations-lobbying/.

 

Assume a lobbying firm has a client on June 1, 2015, and the issue has been on the legislative calendar for 30 days. The client settles the issue prior to the July 4th recess. The firm must file its registration by July 15 and a quarterly activity report (LD-2) on July 20. It must also file a termination report by October 20. The quarterly activity report is also required if the client is a state or local government.

 

Generally speaking, a lobbying firm has to register for every client it has. A lobbying firm is not required to register if it has less than $14,000 in lobbying activities per year. Registrants must identify which of their employees acts as lobbyists. A self-employed lobbyist should not be listed on a quarterly activity report. The tax benefits of hiring a lobbying firm are worth considering. So, whether you're looking for a lobbying firm or an individual, take time to research the firm, read more now.

 

In addition to the IRS and the LDA, the lobbying industry also faces the same tax laws. If your lobbying firm is a foreign entity, you must disclose the name of the client and whether or not you're a registrant under the LDA. Similarly, if you're a private organization, you must disclose the name of the client and whether or not you're a lobbying firm. There are some exceptions to this rule.Check out this post for more details related to this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobby_register.