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COVID-19 Presents Lobbying Opportunities for Law Firms

The rapid expansion of law likely to follow the COVID-19 crisis presents a unique opportunity for smaller firms and solo practitioners to get involved in lobbying efforts. While larger and more established firms have a head start when it comes to decades-old regulations, the establishment of new legislative schemes provides a chance for even footing.

Historically, crises have led to the development of new laws in response to unforeseen issues and vulnerabilities. Litigators, in particular, are in strong positions to expand their advocacy in such times because they’re able to represent clients in these burgeoning areas of law before local, state, and federal bodies. Other attorneys may find that their expertise feeds into one or more of the topics up for debate, and they could use that knowledge in lobbying efforts.

With the sudden surge in unemployment, those who specialize in employment law will be able to jump onto the ground floor of new policy and precedent-setting litigation.

As many renters feel the effects of an economic downturn, real estate lawyers might find ways to weigh in on landlord-tenant matters. The implications of this pandemic will touch a huge number of industries, creating similar lobbying and advocacy opportunities across many practice areas.

As laws are formed following this crisis, lawyers should be looking at how they can utilize their existing specialties and expand their expertise to include these new markets. No one will be an authority initially when it comes to just-developed regulations, so one lawyer has as great a chance as any other to adopt an additional, related specialty. Operating at the forefront of legal change allows a practitioner to establish herself as a trusted source on a given subject when there may not be many. There’s an enormous benefit to being among the first in line.