Law Firms: the most underrated lobbyists
Big companies usually come to mind when thinking about lobbying while the influence of law firms goes unrecognized. Currently, law firms account for 90 of the 7910 registered organizations in the EU Transparency Register, but walking through the EU quarter in Brussels it is impossible to overlook the numerous offices of international law firms. This suggests, that the amount of such firms lobbying on EU policy-making – in their own, or their clients' interest – is well above the 90 law firms registered.
Lobbying on the issue of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS), which is part of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations, is especially controversial. Yet little is known about these secret lobbying activities. Law firms can work unhindered in the shadows of the EU lobby register and its advantageous lack of requirements and controls.
