Lobbying compensation: Here are the Top 25 lobbying firms of 2021

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With 2021 in the books, it’s time to look at the … well, books of the top lobbying firms in the state.

Florida Politics parsed the reports submitted by firms that lobby the state government in order to compile a definitive list of the state’s top lobbying shops, at least in terms of revenues.

Rankings are based on per-client incomes that lobbying firms are required to list on their quarterly reports. Contracts are reported in $10,000 increments up to $50,000, after which lobbyists and firms must disclose the exact amount they received.

Florida Politics added the middle number of each reported range from all four quarters to estimate firms’ annual earnings.

Without further ado, here are the Top 25 lobbying firms for 2021.

No. 1: The Southern Group

The Southern Group was the top-earning firm in 2021, notching an estimated $22 million in pay.

Founded in 2000 by founder and Chairman Paul Bradshaw, The Southern Group has spent the past few years at or near the top of lobbying revenue rankings. Last year, however, was the first where TSG was the definitive No. 1 in each reporting period.

Compensation reports show the firm pulled in $13.1 million lobbying the Legislature and $8.9 million lobbying the executive branch.

Last year, the firm’s top legislative client was GuideWell Group, the holding company for Florida Blue. It paid the firm $207,000 last year. The No. 2 spot on the firm’s legislative reports belongs to Altria Client Services, which paid $194,000. Vacation rental company Airbnb and Ingenious Personalized Medicine shared third-place at the $180,000 level.

The executive client sheet was led off by Ingenious Personalized Medicine, which chipped in another $140,000, making for $320,000 in payments overall. TECO Energy also paid $140,000 for executive lobbying services.

The reports also included a host of Fortune 500 companies, such as Apple, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Disney and FedEx.

In addition to Bradshaw, the Southern Group’s 2021 lobbying team included Oscar Anderson, Brian Bautista, Laura Boehmer, Paul Bradshaw, Oscar Braynon, David Browning, Edgar Castro, Kelly Cohen, Rachel Cone, Mary DeLoach, Nelson Diaz, Christopher Dudley, Carlo Fassi, Mercer Fearington, James Gilmore, Nicole Kelly, Michelle Grimsley, David Hagan, Justin Hollis, Karis Lockhart, James McFaddin, Seth McKeel, Taylor Mejia, Paul Mitchell, Sydney Ridley, Erin Rock, David Shepp, Clark Smith, Monte Stevens and Sheela VanHoose.

All told, the firm could have earned as much as $31.8 million last year — $17.9 million in the Legislature and $13.9 million in the executive branch.

No. 2: Ballard Partners

Ballard Partners pulled down $18.8 million in state-level lobbying pay last year.

The firm, founded by Brian Ballard, represented 250 clients for all or part of 2021. The extensive client sheet resulted in more than $11 million in payments for legislative lobbying services and another $7.8 million for executive branch lobbying.

Ballard Partners’ legislative lobbying haul included nearly 30 clients that paid the firm at least $100,000 last year. Its executive branch reports showed nine other six-figure accounts.

The firm’s top legislative client in 2021 was Shands, a teaching hospital situated on the University of Florida — also a Ballard Partners client — main campus in Gainesville. Shands paid the firm $292,000 in retainers, which was well beyond the cap on range reporting. The hospital tossed in another $50,000 for executive branch lobbying for an overall total of $342,000.

Ballard Partners’ lobbyists specialize in a broad range of policy areas, including gaming. That made them the go-to firm for International Game Technology, or IGT, one of the foremost producers of slot machines.

The company took the No. 1 spot on Ballard’s executive branch earnings reports with $188,000 in payments. The London-based corporation, which also has offices in Las Vegas, showed up at the same level on the firm’s legislative compensation reports, for a total of $376,000 paid overall.

That makes IGT the firm’s overall top client, though Automated Healthcare Solutions showed up in a close second at $372,000.

No. 3: Capital City Consulting

Capital City Consulting earned $17.1 million in lobbying pay last year, the third-highest total among all firms in the state.

Led by co-founders Nick Iarossi and Ron LaFace, the team of lobbyists at the firm represented more than 200 clients for all or part of last year and collected an estimated $9 million lobbying the Florida Legislature and another $8.1 million lobbying the executive branch. At the top end, the firm could have earned $23.9 million.

The No. 1 client on CCC’s legislative report was the Florida Institute of Technology. Also known as Florida Tech or FIT, the Melbourne-based research university paid the firm $187,000 across the firm’s four quarterly reports.

CVS followed at $170,000, and Florida Power & Light Company paid $163,000.

Iarossi, INFLUENCE Magazine’s pick for 2021’s “Lobbyist of the Year,” is one of the top gaming lobbyists in the state. During the negotiations for the new Gaming Compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, dozens of gaming interests snapped up lobbyists — and many already had CCC on retainer well before the Compact began to solidify.

Other clients in Capital City Consulting’s gaming portfolio: Melbourne Greyhound Park, The Lotter, and Ocala Gainesville Poker and Jai Alai.

The firm also represents Las Vegas Sands. The casino giant was the primary backer of a proposed constitutional amendment that would have brought full-fledged casino gaming to North Florida. It paid CCC $60,000 last year.

No. 4: Ronald L. Book PA

Ron Book and his lobbying partners maintained their No. 4 ranking from 2020 with an estimated $10.3 million banked in 2021.

Book, Rana Brown and Kelly Mallette consistently rank among the top 5 firms in legislative lobbying revenues, and 2021 was no exception. The trio landed an estimated $7.9 million in the Legislature, which bests the overall earnings of many firms with much larger teams.

Executive branch revenues, while smaller, were still significant. They totaled $2.4 million according to median estimates.

Book and Co. represented 114 clients for all or part of last year. Their legislative reports show Title Clerk Consulting Company provided their most significant contract, paying a whopping $670,000 in retainers last year. Another title company, Performance Title Services, showed up with $455,000 in payments.

The firm represented a few other clients that smashed through the $50,000 cap on range reporting, including KAS & Associates and AshBritt. The latter is a disaster recovery company that provides debris removal after hurricanes and other services. It paid $300,000 for legislative lobbying and sent over another $240,000 for executive branch work.

However, it was not the firm’s No. 1 executive branch client. That title belongs to MedPro Healthcare Staffing. As its name implies, the company helps fill staffing needs at health care facilities, including the deployment of traveling nurses. It paid $350,000 for executive branch lobbying services.

Using the top-end of per-client ranges shows Book, Brown and Mallette could have earned as much as $12.1 million in 2021.

No. 5: GrayRobinson

Legal and governmental relations firm GrayRobinson earned nearly $9 million in lobbying work pay last year.

Firm president Dean Cannon and the team of lobbyists represented more than 200 clients for all or part of last year. Their efforts netted an average of $1.13 million per quarter lobbying the Legislature, for a total haul of $4.52 million. Executive branch lobbying snagged the firm another $4.36 million, or about $1.09 million per quarter.

The full GrayRobinson roster: Chris Carmody, Carlecia Collins, Larry Cretul, Christopher Dawson, Katie Flury, Allison Goodson, John Gray, Rheb Harbison, John Harris, Michael Huey, Ty Jackson, Laura Lenhart, George Levesque, Jessica Love, Ashley Lukis, Kirk Pepper, Richard Plotkin, Joseph Salzverg, Robert Stuart and Jason Unger.

Collectively, they helped the firm bank $1.22 million in legislative lobbying fees in Q1, which went down as its top tally for the year. GrayRobinson’s best score for executive branch lobbying was the $1.13 million it earned in Q3. The first quarter was also the firm’s best stretch of the year overall — it brought the firm $2.32 million.

Several clients netted the firm $100,000 or more. That set included Citizens for Lower Electric Rates, an organization pushing back against proposed utility rate increases. It paid GrayRobinson $235,000 last year — $118,000 for legislative lobbying and another $117,000 for executive branch lobbying — and ranked as the firm’s top-paying client overall.

No. 6: Greenberg Traurig

Lobbyists Fred Baggett, Gus Corbella, Hayden Dempsey, Elizabeth Dudek, Samantha Ferrin, Fred Karlinsky, and Timothy Stanfield helped land the national firm’s Florida operation $8 million in pay last year.

The GT Law team represented more than 140 clients in all, reaping an estimated $4.8 million in legislative lobbying fees and another $3.2 million in executive branch pay.

A trio of $180,000 clients anchored the firm’s legislative lobbying tally. Those cornerstone contracts were with Baptist Health South Florida, Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Company and Humana Medical Plan.

A dozen other legislative clients broke the six-figure mark, including the Florida Association of Court Clerks & Comptrollers and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, each paying $140,000.

Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Company also significantly boosted Greenberg Traurig’s executive branch reports, with payments totaling $150,000. Other $100,000-plus contracts on that side of the fence included Banzai Capital Partners, Health Network One, Freedom Square of Seminole, Guy Carpenter & Company, and Narragansett Bay Insurance Company.

The reports were also peppered with national names such as AT&T and Ford Motor Company. They paid $80,000 and $60,000, respectively.

If GT Law’s reports trended toward the top end, the firm could have earned as much as $10.6 million.

No. 7: Rubin, Turnbull & Associates

The firm, led by Bill Rubin and Heather Turnbull, netted an estimated $7.5 million last year, including $3.5 million in legislative pay and $4 million in executive branch pay.

Working alongside the named partners last year were lobbyists Melissa Akeson, Jacqui Carmona, Erica Chanti, Chris Finkbeiner, Zach Hubbard and Matthew Sacco.

They juggled the needs of nearly 100 clients, including several that paid six figures or more in retainers.

In the Legislature, HCA Healthcare was by far the firm’s No. 1 client. It smashed through the cap on range reporting with $224,000 in payments. The national hospital chain paid the same amount for Rubin Turnbull’s assistance in the executive branch. At $448,000, it was the firm’s top client overall.

Other keystone legislative clients included Florida Crystals and The Richman Group of Florida, each paying $140,000. They were followed by Aetna, Molina Healthcare and Wellpath at the $100,000 level.

Rubin Turnbull’s executive branch reports were led off by Nomi Health, which narrowly edged out HCA for the top spot with $225,000 in payments. Florida Crystals and The Richman Group of Florida repeated at $140,000.

Based on firm-level ranges, Rubin Turnbull & Associates earned no less than $5 million last year. At the top end, they could have pulled down $8 million.

No. 8: Corcoran Partners

Michael Corcoran and the team at Corcoran Partners netted an estimated $5.9 million last year, earning a spot in the top 10.

Corcoran and lobbyists Jacqueline Corcoran, Matt Blair, Will Rodriguez and Andrea Tovar represented nearly 100 clients for all or part of last year, collecting $3.9 million in legislative lobbying fees and $2 million in executive branch lobbying fees.

The firm’s top client for the year was Fontainebleau Development. The South Florida-based luxury development company is behind the eponymous Fontainebleau Miami Beach and several other well-known hotels and resorts. On its own, the company accounted for $544,000 of the firm’s earnings last year.

The Florida Optometric Association followed with $300,000 in payments, split evenly between the firm’s legislative and executive branch reports.

The Big Easy Casino took the No. 3 spot on Corcoran Partners’ reports. The former greyhound track is based in South Florida and offers slots and a suite of pari-mutuel games. In a massive year for gaming lobbyists, it shipped the team at Corcoran Partners $200,000 in payments.

For those in the loop on the Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System, the company selected for the massive rebuild of that system counts on the team at Corcoran Partners. L3Harris paid the firm $80,000 overall — $60,000 for legislative lobbying and $20,000 for executive branch lobbying.

No. 9: The Advocacy Group at Cardenas Partners

Al Cardenas and the team at The Advocacy Group represented 105 clients last year, earning an estimated $5.9 million in pay.

In addition to Cardenas, the lobbying team included Slater Bayliss, Christopher Chaney, Steve Schale, Stephen Shiver, Sarah Suskey, and Jeffrey Woodburn.

At $140,000, the firm’s top legislative client last year was BENEFYTT TECHNOLOGIES, which develops technology to compare Medicare plans, private health insurance plans and supplemental products.

With a new Seminole Compact and the prospect of multiple gaming amendments on the 2022 ballot, many lobbying firms received big checks from gaming interests last year. TAG was no exception.

Its No. 2 legislative client for the year was Dania Entertainment Center, a gaming company based in Dania Beach. The South Florida operation paid TAG $125,000 for work in the Legislature and another $45,000 for executive branch lobbying. Following Dania Entertainment were Hologic and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Both paid the firm $100,000 for legislative lobbying work.

TAG’s executive reports featured a half-dozen six-figure clients. FocusPoint International, H4 Capital Partners and Paylt landed at the $140,000 level, followed by Cano Health at $110,000 and Centennial Management Corp. at $100,000.

The Advocacy Group reported earning between $500,000 and $1 million on each of its legislative and executive reports last year, indicating it earned no less than $4 million. The firm’s top-end earnings estimate comes in at $8 million.

No. 10: Metz Husband & Daughton

The team at Metz Husband & Daughton rounded out the top 10 with an estimated $5.5 million in annual pay.

Named partners Warren Husband and James Daughton worked alongside lobbyists Doug Bell, Leslie Dughi, Patricia Greene, Allison Liby-Schoonover, Aimee Lyon, Andy Palmer and Karl Rasmussen last year, representing more than 90 clients between their legislative and executive reports.

The firm fared best in the Legislature, earning an estimated $4 million. Topping MHD’s legislative compensation reports was Amscot Financial, which broke through the range reporting cap with $204,000 in payments, or $51,000 per quarter.

Further down were 10 clients that paid $100,000 each. The set included some well-known companies like General Motors, Progressive, Siemens, UPS and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

MHD also tallied $1.7 million in the executive branch. Five clients tied for the top spot on that side of the fence: bluebird bio, Carr Riggs & Ingram, Curaleaf Florida, Ecolab and Pear Therapeutics.

The firm’s legislative reports placed their overall earnings between $500,000 and $1 million each quarter while their executive ranges bounced around. At a minimum, the firm earned $3.2 million.

No. 11: Smith Bryan & Myers

Smith Bryan & Myers pulled down an estimated $5.4 million in advocacy revenues last year, earning the No. 11 spot on the list.

While the top-line figure puts the firm just outside the top 10, the overall earnings ranges listed on SBM’s reports show it had a higher earnings floor than most firms in its weight class.

SBM reported earnings between $500,000 and $1 million each quarter in both the executive and legislative branches, meaning it certainly crossed the $4 million mark and may have earned as much as $8 million.

Led by Matt Bryan, the firm’s roster includes Teye Carmichael, David Daniel, Thomas Griffin, Jeff Hartley, Lisa Hurley and Jim Naff. They represented 93 clients in the Legislature, earning $3.1 million. Their 94 executive branch clients provided the remaining $2.2 million.

Leading the legislative branch report was the Family Law Section of The Florida Bar and the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association, each paying SBM $100,000 last year. HS1 Medical Management followed at $80,000.

Multiple clients on the legislative and executive reports paid SBM $60,000 last year. They included the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Hospital Association, and Johnson & Johnson.

Other well-known clients include Diageo, Duke Energy, Microsoft, the National Football League, Publix and the University of Florida.

No. 12: Johnson & Blanton

Johnson & Blanton ended 2021 with an estimated $4.5 million in lobbying revenues.

Named partners Jon Johnson and Travis Blanton led the firm to an estimated $2.8 million in legislative lobbying revenues and another $1.7 million in executive branch pay.

Working alongside lobbyists Diane Carr, Darrick McGhee and Eric Prutsman, the duo lobbied lawmakers on behalf of 85 clients.

Team J&B has built a reputation as one of the best health care lobbying firms in the state and its reports reflect that. Some of their top legislative clients were Advent Health and the Florida Hospital Association, each showing up at the $140,000 level.

A long list of health care associations and trade groups have them on retainer as well, including the Florida Dental Association, Florida Health Care Association, Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association, Florida Psychological Association, Florida Society of Anesthesiologists, Florida Society of Dermatology & Dermatologic Surgery and Florida Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. Most paid $60,000 for legislative lobbying work last year.

Johnson & Blanton also represents major non-health-care interests such as Samsung Electronics Company, which ranks as one of the 15 largest companies in the world.

Team J&B’s executive branch compensation reports again featured Advent Health and the Florida Hospital Association at the top. Both paid $100,000 for executive lobbying work last year, making $240,000 in overall pay from each entity last year.

Johnson & Blanton’s reports list overall pay between $500,000 and $1 million in the Legislature each quarter last year, while the firm’s executive branch reports all fell into the $250,000 to $500,000 bracket. That means the firm earned no less than $3 million last year and may have earned as much as $6 million.

No. 13: Floridian Partners

More than $4.3 million flowed into Floridian Partners’ coffers last year.

Managing partner Charles Dudley and lobbyists Jorge Chamizo, George Feijoo, Nichole Geary, Cory Guzzo, Gary Guzzo and Melissa Ramba represented 76 clients in the Legislature, where they reeled in an estimated $2.6 million.

Floridian Partners’ legislative reports were topped by Florida Internet & Television and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, both of which paid $140,000 last year.

Though the Tribe went on a lobbyist hiring spree during the Special Session to approve the new Gaming Compact, they’ve had the Floridian Partners team on retainer since the mid-2010s and counted on them to come through both during the Compact negotiations and the still-going saga that followed.

Floridian Partners’ next most lucrative legislative contract was with Florida Gulf Coast University, which paid the firm $110,000 overall. The Florida Insurance Council and the National Association of Credit Management-Improved Construction Practices Committee followed at $90,000 and $70,000, respectively.

Centene Corporation and MAXIMUS led the firm’s executive branch reports, both at the $140,000 level. The National Council on Compensation Insurance followed at $100,000.

Floridian Partners reported $500,000 to $1 million in the Legislature each quarter and $250,000 to $500,000 per quarter in the executive branch. At a minimum, it earned $3 million. At the top end, the firm could have hit $6 million in 2021 pay.

No. 14: PooleMcKinley

The five lobbyists at PooleMcKinley represented nearly 60 clients last year, pulling down an estimated $4 million.

The PooleMcKinley team includes named partner Will McKinley and lobbyists Angela Dempsey, Fred Dickinson, Erik Kirk and Sophie Smith. Their efforts netted $2 million in legislative lobbying pay and an additional $2 million in executive branch pay.

The firm’s top clients in the Legislature paid an estimated $15,000 per quarter, or $60,000 for the year. They included major names such as Comcast, Hertz and the Motion Picture Association.

Another client in that set is Raytheon Technologies Corporation. Though not a household name, the company has a presence in nearly every American’s home, as mid-century research conducted by the company led to the invention of the microwave.

PooleMcKinley’s top executive client was LexisNexis Risk Solutions, which paid $75,000. The next rung down included the same $60,000 clients from the legislative reports, each of which paid the same amount for executive lobbying work.

Other notable names in the firm’s client portfolio included the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Seminole Hard Rock Digital, as well as Pearson Education, Yum Brands and Major League Baseball.

Though median estimates peg PooleMcKinley’s overall earnings at $2.82 million, firm-level ranges listed on the quarterly reports show earnings between $500,000 and $1 million each quarter in both the Legislature and the executive branch.

Based on those ranges, the firm earned no less than $4 million last year. At the top end, the firm could have earned as much as $4.7 million.

No. 15: The Mayernick Group

The Mayernick Group tallied up an estimated $2.9 million in lobbying pay last year.

Frank and Tracy Mayernick worked alongside Rob Johnson and new addition Brook Evans to represent 50 clients last year. Their efforts netted an estimated $2.23 million in the Legislature and an additional $400,000 in the executive branch.

At $120,000, Burrell Diversified Investments held the top spot across the firm’s four legislative compensation reports. It was followed by Alkermes, Citrus Health Network, Florida State University and HCA Healthcare, all of which paid $100,000 for legislative lobbying work last year.

Burrell repeated in the top spot in the executive branch, shipping the firm $110,000. As the No. 1 on both sets of reports, the company goes down as The Mayernick Group’s top client overall.

The firm also represented several major companies, such as AT&T, Anheuser-Busch and Florida Power & Light Company.

Statewide associations were also a revenue driver for the firm, with the Florida Health Care Association and the Florida Medical Association showing up near the top of their reports. Each paid $90,000 overall.

Based on firm-level ranges, The Mayernick Group earned at least $2 million in legislative lobbying revenues and no less than $200,000 in executive branch lobbying revenues. At the top end, it could have earned up to $3.4 million.

No. 16: Dean Mead

The 10 lobbyists at Dean Mead topped $2.8 million in lobbying revenues last year.

Angela Bonds, French Brown, Emily Buckley, Marc Dunbar, Peter Dunbar, Martha Edenfield, Chris Moya, Timothy Riley, Daniel Russell and Jennifer Ungru represented 68 clients in the Legislature, where they pulled down an estimated $1.39 million.

In those reports, five clients showed up at the $60,000 level: A. Duda & Sons, AbbVie, Charter Schools USA, Scientific Games Corporation, and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Anheuser-Busch followed at $50,000; the Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar hit $45,000; and the Florida E-Commerce Forwarder Association chipped in $40,000.

The team’s executive client sheet was 76 names long and showed $1.43 million in annual revenues. The set of $60,000 clients matched the legislative reports with the addition of Deloitte Consulting and CHO Property Management. Step Up for Students followed at $50,000.

Dean Mead reported earning between $250,000 and $500,000 on each of its legislative compensation reports and reported earnings in the same range on its four executive compensation reports, indicating it earned no less than $2 million last year. At the top end, the firm could have earned $4 million.

No. 17: Anfield Consulting

Anfield Consulting netted an estimated $2.8 million last year.

Al Balido, Frank Bernardino, Natalie Fausel and Edgar Fernandez represented 51 clients for all or part of 2021, earning just over $2 million in the Legislature and $720,000 in the executive branch.

The Polk County Commission and professional services firm WSP were Anfield’s top legislative clients for the year, each chipping in $140,000. The Polk County Commission paid an additional $30,000 for executive branch lobbying, making it the firm’s top client overall.

The Indian River County Commission was close behind. It paid $160,000 overall, including $100,000 for legislative lobbying work. Florida Crystals Corporation also hit the $100,000 mark for legislative lobbying pay, followed by Premier Manufacturing Products and Resource Environmental Solutions at the $90,000 level.

Anfield’s client sheet included several local governments in addition to Polk and Indian River. The firm also represented Broward County ($80,000), Flagler Beach ($80,000), the Monroe County Commission ($80,000), Palm Beach County ($40,000), Cutler Bay ($40,000) and St. Augustine ($20,000).

Quarterly income ranges listed on Anfield’s reports show the firm collected at least $1 million lobbying the Legislature and at least $400,000 lobbying the executive branch last year. The firm could have earned as much as $3 million.

No. 18: Johnston & Stewart Government Strategies

The three lobbyists at Johnson & Stewart earned an estimated $2.71 million last year, lobbying compensation reports show.

Named partners Jeff Johnston and Amanda Stewart worked alongside lobbyist Anita Berry to handle the needs of nearly 50 clients, netting $1.87 million in legislative lobbying fees and tacking on another $845,000 in the executive branch.

The legislative reports showed three $100,000 clients, including Humana Medical Plan, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and TECO Energy. They were followed by HCA at the $80,000 level and more than a dozen others that paid $60,000 each last year.

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and TECO Energy repeated as the firm’s top clients on the executive side, chipping in another $60,000 each. With $160,000 paid apiece, the two tied for Johnston & Stewart’s No. 1 client in 2021. HCA took No. 3 with another $30,000 in executive branch pay for $110,000 overall.

Other notable clients on the firm’s reports included American Airlines, Charter Communications, Live Nation Entertainment and Novo Nordisk. Each paid the firm $80,000 between its legislative and executive branch reports.

Firm-level ranges show Johnston & Stewart earned between $1.25 million and $2.5 million in the Legislature and between $400,000 and $1 million in the executive branch. Based on those ranges, the firm earned no less than $1.65 million and may have earned as much as $3.5 million.

No. 19: Rutledge Ecenia

The nine-person team at Rutledge Ecenia tallied an estimated $2.7 million in lobbying compensation last year.

Stephen Ecenia, Gary Rutledge, Andrew Rutledge, Diana Ferguson, James Hamilton, Jessica Janasiewicz, Richard Lindstrom, Corinne Mixon and Gabriel Warren represented 62 clients for all or part of last year, earning an estimated $1.93 million in legislative lobbying fees and another $770,000 in executive branch lobbying fees.

The firm’s legislative lobbying reports were led by three clients at the $100,000 level: Fronton Holdings, the Hopewell Fund and Miami-Dade County. The National Redistricting Action Fund followed at $80,000.

Savvas Learning Company was the top client across the firm’s executive branch reports, sending $60,000 over the year. Kelly Services followed at the $35,000, while most other paid executive contracts weighed in at $20,000, or $5,000 per quarter.

Other notable clients represented by the firm include ADT, Molson Coors Beverage Company, St. Petersburg Kennel Club, The Big Easy Casino, T-Mobile and Scholastic.

Firm-level ranges reported by the firm show it earned between $1.5 million and $3 million in legislative lobbying fees and between $200,000 and $400,000 in executive branch lobbying fees last year, meaning overall earnings were no less than $1.7 million. The firm could have earned as much as $3.4 million.

No. 20: Becker & Poliakoff

Lobbying firm Becker & Poliakoff represented more than 80 clients last year, earning an estimated $2.57 million.

Firm lobbyists Bernie Friedman, Ellyn Bogdanoff, Katie Edwards-Walpole, Jose Fuentes, Yolanda Cash Jackson, Max Losner, Nicholas Matthews and LaToya Sheals brought in the bulk of it — $2.48 million — lobbying the Legislature. They earned another $85,000 lobbying the executive branch.

The top clients for 2021 were Bethune Cookman University and Florida Memorial University, each paying the firm $100,000. The Grande Vista of Orlando Condominium Association followed at the $80,000 level.

The firm also represented a host of local governments, including Miami, Cape Coral, Lauderdale Lakes, North Lauderdale, South Miami and Miami Springs, and Miami-Dade County. Their contract with Miami measured in at $75,000, with other county and municipal clients paying between $20,000 and $60,000 apiece for legislative lobbying work.

The firm listed four paid executive-branch clients. Of those, MainStreet Advocates held the top spot at $25,000. Advanced Green Technologies, Alternative Medical Healthcare Services and American Clinical Solutions followed at $20,000 apiece.

Firm-level ranges show Becker collected between $500,000 and $1 million lobbying the Legislature each quarter and added as much as $150,000 more lobbying the executive branch. At the top end, the firm could have earned $3.65 million.

No. 21: Foley & Lardner

Foley & Lardner earned an estimated $2.52 million last year, with most of that sum coming from their efforts in the executive branch.

Lobbyists Jason Allison, Robert Hosay, Jennifer Kelly, Austin Neal and Jonathan Steverson represented 67 clients, earning $1.62 million in executive pay and another $895,000 in legislative branch pay.

The firm’s executive client sheet lists Cisco Systems as its most lucrative contract. The San Jose, California, tech company paid the firm $100,000.

American Land Development of Central Florida was No. 2 at $75,000. It was followed by Aetna, Conduent, the Florida Electric Cooperatives Association, Splunk, Sustainable Water Investment Group, and the Town of Palm Beach, each paying $60,000 for the year.

Conduent, the Florida Electric Cooperatives Association and Splunk paid the same amount for legislative lobbying work, splitting the top spot. The firm’s other significant clients include Verizon, Red Hat and Lennar Homes.

Firm-level ranges listed on Foley & Lardner’s reports show it earned between $250,000 and $500,000 in executive branch lobbying pay each quarter. The firm’s legislative earnings fell in different ranges quarter-to-quarter. Their sum shows an overall range between $700,000 and $1.5 million.

No. 22: The Fiorentino Group

Jacksonville-based lobbying firm The Fiorentino Group earned an estimated $2.48 million last year, according to its quarterly compensation reports.

The firm founded by Marty Fiorentino represented 70 clients last year, notching $1.3 million in legislative lobbying revenues and $1.18 million in executive branch lobbying revenues.

The Fiorentino Group is the go-to firm for many of the biggest names in Northeast Florida. Their clientele includes Flagler Health+, Crowley Maritime, the Florida East Coast Railway, and many county and municipal governments.

Flagler Health+ paid the firm $100,000 for legislative lobbying work, making it the firm’s top client last year. It was followed by the Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers at the $90,000 level. Flagler Health+ was also The Fiorentino Group’s top executive branch client, paying another $100,000 for help plying the Governor, Cabinet and state agencies.

The firm’s local government and public sector clients included Duval County Public Schools, Flagler County, Clay County and the city government for Atlantic Beach. Some of the better-known names on their client sheets include the PGA Tour and AT&T.

In addition to Fiorentino, the firm’s lobbying team includes Davis Bean, Melissa Braude, John Delaney, Joseph Mobley, Mark Pinto and Shannan Schuessler.

Firm-level ranges show The Fiorentino Group earned between $250,000 and $500,000 in legislative lobbying pay and the same amount in executive branch pay each quarter. Based on those ranges, the firm earned no less than $2 million last year and may have earned as much as $4 million.

No. 23: Ramba Consulting Group

The half-dozen lobbyists at Ramba Consulting Group represented 56 clients for all or part of last year, notching an estimated $2.23 million in pay.

Led by David Ramba, the firm’s roster of lobbyists includes Allison Carvajal, Paul Handerhan, Thomas Hobbs, Evan Power and Cameron Yarbrough. Median estimates show the team brought in $2.1 million via legislative lobbying and added another $200,000 lobbying the executive branch.

The firm’s legislative lobbying reports show five contracts crossed the six-figure mark. They included the Florida Optometric Association and Florida PACE Funding Agency, splitting the No. 1 spot at the $120,000 level.

The Florida Chiropractic Association, Florida Concrete & Products Association, and Propel Florida paid the firm $100,000 apiece for legislative lobbying work. Other clients near the top of the list included Consulate Health Care and FWD.us at $80,000 apiece and SkyeTec at $65,000.

A dozen or so other contracts were valued at $60,000. Major names included AT&T, Florida Power & Light Company and Tampa Bay Downs.

Ramba Consulting Group’s executive compensation reports list the same set of clients as their legislative compensation reports; however, most are marked down as $0 contracts. The top paid contracts on that side of the fence were with the Florida Chiropractic Association, Florida Concrete & Products Association, and Propel Florida. Each paid $20,000.

Firm-level ranges on Ramba Consulting Group’s reports show the firm earned at least $1.5 million in legislative lobbying pay last year with a top end of $2.5 million. The firm earned up to $200,000 more lobbying the executive branch.

No. 24: RSA Consulting Group

RSA Consulting Group earned a spot in the Top 25 after reeling in as much as $2 million in lobbying pay last year.

Led by Ron Pierce, the RSA team includes lobbyists Melody Arnold, Kaitlyn Bailey, Edward Briggs, Matthew Herndon and Natalie King. They represented about 80 clients, earning an estimated $1 million lobbying the Legislature and another $1 million lobbying the executive branch.

RSA Consulting Group is based in the Tampa Bay area and represents many of the region’s top businesses. Their clients include the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority (TBARTA), Port Tampa Bay and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In the Legislature, the firm’s most lucrative lobbying deals were with the Florida Association of Community Health Centers and the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, each paying $60,000 last year. The same pair also topped the firm’s executive branch reports at the same level, paying $120,000 overall.

TBARTA was next on the list with $100,000 in payments split evenly between RSA’s legislative and executive reports.

Firm-level ranges listed on RSA Consulting Group’s quarterly reports show they collected between $100,000 and $250,000 in legislative lobbying fees each quarter. The firm’s four executive branch reports also landed in that range.

At a minimum, RSA Consulting Group earned $800,000 last year. At the top end, the firm could have earned $2 million.

No. 25: McGuireWoods Consulting

McGuireWoods Consulting rounded out the Top 25 with $1.9 million in pay last year.

Lobbyists Sara Clements, Rhett O’Doski, Ryder Rudd and Sean Stafford represented 40 or so clients last year, pulling down an estimated $1.4 million in the Legislature and another $500,000 in the executive branch.

Last year, United Healthcare Services was the firm’s top legislative client, shipping the team $110,000 in retainers. The No. 2 spot belonged to Florida Crystals Corporation, which pitched in $100,000.

Innovative Emergency Management sat atop the firm’s executive branch reports. It paid an estimated $45,000. The Florida Association of Health Underwriters, Hilton and Thompson Construction Group followed at the $30,000 level.

Some of the better-known names on McGuireWoods’ client sheet include Capital One, 1-800 Contacts and Florida Poly. The firm also represented DraftKings, one of the key players behind the failed ballot amendment to open up the state’s sports betting market to non-tribal gaming companies.

Firm-level ranges show McGuireWoods pulled down between $850,000 and $1.75 million in legislative lobbying fees last year. The firm earned another $200,000 to $500,000 lobbying the executive branch. Overall, the team earned no less than $1.05 million and could have earned as much as $2.25 million.