Perkins Coie and American Bar Association Release New Edition of Authoritative Guide to Lobbying Laws

WASHINGTON, D.C., (September 18, 2024) - Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that it has partnered with the American Bar Association (ABA) in the publication of the sixth edition of The Lobbying Manual, the ABA’s comprehensive legal guide to the laws of lobbying. 

Any lobbyist seeking to engage with the federal government or congressional lawmakers, whether on behalf of a large corporation or other business, a law firm, public relations firm, or nonprofit group must comply with an array of laws governing lobbying and political activities. The Lobbying Manual is an authoritative guide that provides a clear overview of these varying laws and guidance on how to stay compliant and effective. 

“This go-to manual has long been the gold standard legal guide for government relations professionals, lobbyists, and lawyers for navigating the complex landscape of laws governing lobbying and corporate political activity,” said Rebecca Gordon, a partner in Perkins Coie’s Political Law Group in Washington, D.C., who co-edited the new edition. “Lobbying sits at the intersection of many different legal principles and statutes, including disclosure, taxation, campaign finance, revolving door rules, and government ethics. Our authors have done a masterful job at providing an accessible legal guide for government relations professionals trying to meet their policy goals, and in-house counsel who support them.”  

The two other co-editors of the manual are William V. Luneberg, Professor Emeritus of Law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and Thomas M. Susman, the ABA’s Strategic Advisor for Global Programs and Governmental Affairs.  

“The Lobbying Manual is an invaluable resource for practitioners and those who hire lobbyists to understand the legal foundation impacting lobbying and election campaigns. The editors, Tom Susman, Rebecca Gordon, and Bill Luneburg have done it again: they have enlisted some of America’s top lawyers to write perceptive up-to-date analyses of the complex and dynamic regulatory environment of lobbying and campaigns. All editions have been an irreplaceable authoritative source for my courses on lobbying, campaign finance, and ethics. It is an essential resource to lobbyists, but also to campaign activists, government relations professionals, government employees, and scholars/students of lobbying and campaign finance law,” said James Thurber, Distinguished University Professor Emeritus and founder of the Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute and the Ethics and Lobbying Workshop, American University.

The Manual can be ordered here. 

The creative pioneer of modern political law, Perkins Coie is home to one of the most respected political law practices in the country. The lawyers in the firm’s Political Law Group represent corporations, nonprofit organizations, public affairs firms, elected officials, candidates, individuals, and political parties and committees in all aspects of political law counseling and litigation.