Lobbyists are paid by an organization to promote that organization’s goals before members of the government. Although a JD is not usually required to become a lobbyist, the communication and analytical skills one learns in law school overlap with lobbying skills, making lawyers a competitive candidate in the ruthless lobbying industry. Many lobbyists are lawyers who have served in the government (the “revolving door”), and most attain their positions through referrals and networking. Many lobbyists have previous experience on Capitol Hill, especially experience in the legislative process and writing contracts. This experience helps them in their role as individuals responsible for researching and analyzing legislation, persuading government officials of their goals, and changing public opinion through the media.
As a lobbyist, one can lobby for organizations like The Balloon Council. The Balloon Council’s goal, in their own words, is “to tell the story of the ordinary, extraordinary balloon.” In recent years, lobbyists for The Balloon Council have fought state legislation banning the release of balloons. Additionally, one major issue of The Balloon Council that lobbyists work on is the sensitivity of the helium market—for example, The Balloon Council supported President Obama’s Helium Stewardship Act of 2013 which helped protect the helium market, and hence the balloon industry. This goes to show that, because lobbying organizations are so varied in their goals and political ambitions, individuals seeking to become lobbyists have a wide range of interests they can explore and choose to advocate on behalf of within the industry (though lobbyists tend to work in areas that they have relevant experience in).
Current undergraduate students who do not wish to complete their J.D., but who want to pursue a legal degree may choose to attain a Master of Jurisprudence (M.J.) from the University of Washington. Additionally, current lobbyists or those wishing to establish themselves in the field who are unsure of whether they want to commit to a 3-year J.D. program, but believe that legal knowledge would be beneficial to their profession may also choose to pursue the program. Because lobbyist positions do not require a J.D. but do benefit from the knowledge of the legal system, the M.J. is a good fit for those wishing to become a lobbyist without a J.D.