As the former legal counsel to two past House Speakers in Connecticut, David Rose is no stranger to the legislative office building in Hartford. But these days, Rose, a Westport resident, is seeing his old stomping ground from a new angle — as a lobbyist.
In January, Rose led national law firm Wilson Elser’s expansion into Hartford, where it has opened up shop in 100 Pearl St. to be closer to the State Capitol, insurance companies and other clients.
Since 2011, Rose has been leading Wilson Elser’s growing Connecticut government affairs group, which has doubled in size annually the past three years, from its Stamford office.
“It made sense to have an office in Hartford,” said Rose. “We represent many major companies in the region from insurance companies to trade associations, as well as nonprofit clients.”
Hartford’s appeal to law firms trying to raise their lobbying practice profiles isn’t unique. The city is home to more than a dozen lobbying firms that draw appeal simply by their proximity to the State Capitol, where they get easier access to lawmakers and other influential policymakers.
State government, which owns significant Hartford real estate including two recently purchased Class A office buildings, is a major economic driving force in the city.
Last year, businesses, nonprofits, and other interest groups spent $47 million on lobbying efforts in the state, according to the Connecticut Office of State Ethics, up nearly 12 percent from a year earlier as major issues ranging from gun control to education reform sparked much attention and debate. That was the highest spending total in more than a decade, which Rose sees as an opportunity to grow his firm’s business.
Rose said he understands that with the millions spent on lobbying each year, his industry is often seen in a negative light; but he says his services are a fundamental part of the democratic process.
“Anyone can participate in lobbying,” he said. “If you write a letter to an elected official trying to influence a decision, that’s [a form of] lobbying.”
In fact, Rose argues that roles like his actually enhance the legislative process.
“State legislators must focus on hundreds of bills relating to all sorts of issues,” he said. “Lobbyists provide useful information on particular issues to help policymakers make informed decisions.”
He notes that, as a communicator lobbyist, he can be the voice of those — from small business owners to nonprofit leaders and corporate CEOs — who don’t have time to state their concerns directly to legislators.
“We live in a highly regulated nation and state and we make sure our client’s interests are understood,” Rose said.
And more of those lobbying efforts are being focused at the state level, according to David McQuade, a senior government affairs consultant with Hartford law firm Murtha Cullina, which has seven registered lobbyists in Connecticut.
While the number of lobbyists in the state has remained relatively flat in recent years, in general, the number of registered lobbyists and the money spent on lobbying is rising.
It’s a trend that has taken hold in other state capitols around the country, McQuade said.
“With deadlock in Washington, D.C. … individuals, nonprofits and businesses have turned to the states to resolve issues or protect themselves from state-by-state initiatives contrary to their interests,” McQuade said.
Rose said Wilson Elser hopes to differentiate itself from competitors like Capitol Strategies Group, Sullivan & LeShane, and Brown Rudnick by leveraging their resources as a national firm.
“If an issue crops up in Connecticut that we’ve dealt with in, say, Colorado, we can see how it was addressed there and bring those ideas here,” Rose said.
And some issues, Rose argues, are near universal across all state lines.
“Issues like mental health and healthcare implementation are major issues we’re facing in Connecticut and across the country,” he said.
Staying on top of those evolving issues, Rose says, will be his firm’s biggest challenge.
“There’s a lot of bills and laws that could impact my clients, so understanding the legislative nuances makes my job challenging and incredibly interesting,” he said.
