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Jeff Brooks Shares His Perspective on the Lobbying Industry in an Op-Ed for Bloomberg Government

Published: Apr 28, 2026

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Adams & Reese Washington, DC Partner Jeff Brooks authored an op-ed for Bloomberg Government, titled "Persuasion Is the Easy Part of Lobbying. Building Trust is Hard." Published today, the piece explores Jeff's personal take on the lobbying industry and how the profession has been fundamentally transformed by three forces: money, rapid information, and emerging technology.

Money and Instant Information

Federal lobbying spending hit a record $5 billion in 2025, and it's not just about the volume but who is spending – AI companies, Big Tech, and industries that barely existed a few years ago. With so much money in the system, every interaction matters more, and lobbyists must differentiate themselves with substance and trust, not just access.

Brooks notes that today's lobbyists must be versatile communicators, equally comfortable explaining a regulatory nuance as crafting a punchy message for social media. The speed of information compounds this challenge, as every interaction can end up on a screen in minutes. He recounts a situation in which a long-negotiated deal between a member of Congress and a committee chairman cratered because of a single social media post.

Big Tech's Influence

AI and emerging technologies can also make the work more difficult. Brooks shares a cautionary example: a competitor produced a quick, AI-generated one-page policy summary that turned out to be about an entirely different piece of legislation. His takeaway is that speed without accuracy is worse than no speed at all.

Although technology has made content creation easier, many policymakers have received bad information and grown increasingly skeptical. Brooks explains that the lobbyists who thrive use technology as a tool and not as a shortcut.

Charting a Path

Brooks emphasizes that representing clients well in this industry requires curiosity, patience, and a sincere willingness to listen. A good lobbyist must understand not just what the client wants, but how it fits into the broader policy picture. The goal is to always build long-term trust, because winning the issue but losing the relationship means losing the client.

To conclude, he frames lobbying as "the art of service" to clients, to government institutions, and to the public interest. While the profession will keep changing, he argues, the core principles endure: integrity, humility, and a commitment to trust will continue to guide those who play a meaningful role in shaping policy for the better.

View the full article here.

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