In the pre-pandemic before times, lobbyist Bruce Mehlman would spend weeks curating a guest list for his self-described nerdy luncheons featuring authors, policy wonks and executives in downtown D.C. Now, he blasts out an email, sets up a Zoom room and can gather more than 100 for virtual events, such as one he hosted Wednesday with Steve Case, the former CEO of AOL.
“Things that used to be small, local and high friction have become large, global and near zero marginal cost,” said Mehlman, who runs Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas and also serves as an adviser to FiscalNote, CQ Roll Call’s parent company. “Events such as these are among the things that are going to continue well post-pandemic.”
K Street lobbyists have embraced the virtual world for networking events, policy panels and client conferences, in many cases nabbing big-name speakers, including members of Congress, governmental officials and business executives. Though Zoom interactions may never fully replace the glad-handing of in-person hobnobbing, most lobbyists like Mehlman expect virtual sessions to endure long after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.
Such events are free but ingratiate lobbyists with clients, potential clients and, of course, Washington’s policymakers on whom they may rely for future decisions amid the political tumult of a new Congress and a new administration.
The city’s largest lobbying practice at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld convened clients and contacts last Friday for an online session hosted by partner Arshi Siddiqui, who previously worked for Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The firm’s Joe Donnelly, a former Democratic senator from Indiana, was among those who presented.
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December 10, 2020 at 05:32PM
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Forced to take networking virtual by pandemic, K Street may never go back - Roll Call
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