Though revenue has dropped in federal lobbying during recent quarters, some firms have adapted to the market and are finding ways to significantly increase their take during K Street’s downturn.

Among the groups outperforming the rest of the industry so far this year are some established firms showing significant gains, midsized shops that tripled their revenue and even some new organizations that first began lobbying during the past six months…

Having a specialized policy area has also helped newcomer Nathanson+Hauck, which had the second-largest revenue of new firms in 2011. The health-care-based lobbying duo of Melanie Nathanson and Megan Hauck said there are benefits to being a smaller shop.

“The secret is not being giant,” Nathanson said.

Source:
Some Lobbyists Buck the Odds in 2011
By Alex Knott, Roll Call Staff

Some mom lobbyists skip the negotiation process with potential employers altogether and launch their own businesses.

Melanie Nathanson, who left Glover Park Group last year to start Nathanson + Hauck with Megan Hauck, said she made the jump to have more control — control not only over her client relationships but her personal ones, too.

“There’s a huge amount of internal work just to make sure everyone’s on the same page in a bigger firm,” she said. “We can take that time and invest that in our clients and also with my son.”

Owning her own business, though, means having to fill out her own Lobbying Disclosure Act forms, finding IT help when the computers go haywire (which they did) and all the other underpinnings of operating a business. Even so, Nathanson said, it still works out that she has more time to directly work for her clients and to be with her son.

“This was as much about making sure I could be a good mother and wife and be the best for my clients,” she said.

The full Roll Call article can be found on their web site.

K Street expects to reap a new bonanza from the healthcare law even as House Republicans move to repeal the measure on Wednesday. Lobbying firms are adding healthcare specialists and new boutique firms are opening to court clients interested in influencing the shape of regulations implementing the law.

Nearly a year after healthcare’s passage, there’s little sign of business slowing down.

“Passing the law is just the beginning of the story in this case. The development of the regulations are hugely important,” said Megan Hauck, a former senior policy adviser to Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.).

Hauck is opening her own lobby shop to work on healthcare issues with Melanie Nathanson, a former healthcare adviser to ex-Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fla.), who went on to lead the Glover Park Group’s healthcare practice…

For the rest of the article, visit The Hill.

Melanie Nathanson and Megan Hauck plan to announce today their new strategic consulting group, which will focus on health legislation and regulation. Nathanson most recently ran the health care government relations practice at Glover Park Group. She’s also been at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities and was a senior policy adviser to Sen. Bob Graham. Hauck recently left her position as senior policy adviser to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. She also served in the George W. Bush administration as the chief liaison to the Senate on health and other policy issues. Nathanson+Hauck officially opens Feb. 1.

Source: POLITICO Pulse