Lobbying firms record 3rd quarter gains amid Trump policy shifts

By David Thomas

Oct 21 (Reuters) - Several top lobbying firms in Washington, D.C., beat or nearly broke their revenue records in the third quarter of the year, before the U.S. federal government shut down earlier this month.

Ballard Partners, buoyed by its ties to the Trump administration, continued its meteoric revenue growth. The firm said its federal lobbying revenues rose more than 400% compared to the third quarter of 2024, and were up nearly 80% from the first quarter of this year, reaching $25 million.

Other lobbying firms also reported revenue records for the quarter. BGR Group said it earned $19.1 million, while U.S. law firms Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck and Holland & Knight reported $18.9 million and $13.9 million in federal lobbying revenue, respectively. Principals from the three firms said last quarter was their best ever.

Law firm Hogan Lovells reported $4.4 million in federal lobbying revenue, which it also said was a record.

"I don't expect the chaotic pace will slow down for the remainder of the year," Loren Monroe, a principal at BGR Group, said in an email.

Moves by President Donald Trump's administration on tariffs and trade have created an "infinite array of measures that are ongoing and changing" that require advice and keep lobbyists busy, said Brian Pomper, the co-leader of U.S. law firm Akin Gump's lobbying and public policy practice.

Even amid the shutdown, there are things like public comment processes on certain tariffs with deadlines that have to be met, Pomper said.

Akin Gump said it earned $16.3 million in the third quarter of 2025, marking its best third quarter ever.

Lobbyists said the implementation of President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful" tax-and-spending bill, which was signed into law in July, drove major activity last quarter.

"I think there were a lot of questions about what may be coming next," said Karishma Shah Page, a partner at K&L Gates' public policy and law practice. K&L Gates said it earned $5.4 million last quarter.

Firms are required to report revenue from federal government lobbying each quarter under the Lobbying Disclosure Act.

Companies, trade groups and other entities have continuously spent more money on lobbying since 2016, according to non-profit group OpenSecrets, which compiles lobbying records. In 2024, companies spent more than $4.44 billion to lobby Congress and federal agencies.

That figure for 2025 had already hit $2.53 billion by July 24, with around 9% coming from the pharmaceutical and health products industry, according to OpenSecrets. Internet and electronics manufacturing industries accounted for about 8% of lobbying spending in the same period.