CULTIVATING CAPITOL HILL
ABA develops strategies to bolster
its grassroots lobbying efforts
BY RHONDA McMILLION
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF HER TERM AS ABA PRESIDENT IN August, Carolyn B. Lamm has been emphatic about the need to increase the association’s advocacy with federal policymakers on issues of interest to the profession and the public. “Issues arise daily that require us to be heard and be visi-
ble,” says Lamm, a partner at White & Case in Washington, D.C. “We
must be credible, prominent advocates on important issues and preserve
the rule of law.”
To accomplish this goal, Lamm called on the Standing Committee
on Governmental Affairs, chaired by Bill Robinson, and the staff of the
Governmental Affairs Office, headed by Thomas M. Susman, to develop
strategies to assure that the ABA’s
views are known and valued on
Capitol Hill and within the vari-
ous entities that make up the
executive branch. (Robinson, a
member of Frost Brown Todd who
heads its northern Kentucky office
in Florence, will become the ABA’s
president-elect nominee during
the midyear meeting this month.)
Strong grassroots outreach
to Congress and the executive
branch is crucial to these efforts.
Because the ABA is a nonpartisan
organization that does not endorse
candidates or make campaign
contributions through a political action committee, it relies
heavily on its members to inform Congress and the executive
branch about its policy positions.
Much of this work is done by
the Grassroots Action Team, a network of ABA members who communicate, as constituents, the
ABA’s views to their members of
Congress through personal meetings
and correspondence. Particularly important are the “grasstops” advocates,
who have close working relationships with members of Congress. They
contact their senators and representatives in pressing situations when the
ABA seeks quick legislative action on priority issues.
ABA members who join the Grassroots Action Team have access to an
interactive website maintained by the Governmental Affairs Office; are
invited to attend advocates meetings; and receive the ABA Washington
Letter, a monthly e-mail report on the association’s advocacy efforts.
Richard Podell: “Take the next step.”
meetings with their senators and
representatives to discuss legislative
priorities of the legal profession.
“The Grassroots Action Team and
ABA Day bring together those who
are passionate about justice issues,”
says Julie M. Strandlie, director for
ABA grassroots operations in the
Governmental Affairs Office. “We
want to open up these activities to
more ABA members who have con-
nections and want to put those con-
nections to use helping people and
improving the justice system.”
As part of this effort, the govern-
mental affairs committee is encour-
aging ABA sections to host their
own lobbying events in Washington.
In the fall, the Governmental
Affairs Office coordinated visits
to Capitol Hill by members of the
Section of Environment, Energy
and Resources, which announced
the launch of a webpage available
only to congressional members
and staff.
In October, 18 leaders of the Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities visited the Hill during their
own lobbying day. They spoke to
members of Congress about a number of the section’s policy priorities
and covered several issues on the
ABA agenda, including funding for
the Legal Services Corp. and loan
forgiveness for legal aid attorneys.
“My experience was that this type
of activity has an outstanding benefit for the American Bar Association,” says section chair Richard J.
Podell, who heads up his own firm
in Milwaukee. “While we pass
many resolutions in the House of
Delegates, we must take the next
step and advocate our positions to
Congress and the executive branch
to ensure that these important policies become law.” ■
Rhonda McMillion is editor of ABA
Washington Letter, a Governmental
Affairs Office publication.
SECTIONS HAVE THEIR SAY
ANOTHER KEY TO THE ABA’S ADVOCACY EFFORTS IS ABA DAY IN WASHINGTON,
an annual lobbying event that brings leaders of the association as well as
state, local and specialty bar associations to Capitol Hill for face-to-face
This column is written by the ABA Governmental Affairs Office and discusses
ABA advocacy efforts relating to issues
being addressed by Congress and the executive branch of the federal government.
