Lobbying compensation: Ballard Partners first firm to cross $9M in quarterly compensation

Brian Ballard remains on top. Image via Bloomberg.

With nearly $9 million in earnings, Ballard Partners snagged the No. 1 spot in Florida Politics’ lobbying firm rankings for the second consecutive quarter.

The firm founded by Brian Ballard collected more than $5.3 million in legislative lobbying pay and reeled in $3.68 million lobbying the executive branch, making the firm No. 1 on both sides of the fence in addition to being Q1’s overall champ.

“Receiving the top ranking once again is a direct reflection of the trust our clients have placed in us. We are incredibly grateful for their continued support here in Tallahassee and across our growing global footprint,” said Abby Vail, the Managing Partner of Ballard Partners Tallahassee practice.

In addition to boasting the biggest rake, Vail and Ballard oversee one of the largest lobbying teams in the state.

Their Tally team: Michael Abrams; former Florida CFO Jeff Atwater; Brady Benford; Carol Bracy; Christina Brodeur; Bradley Burleson; Robert Burleson; Jennifer Busby; former DeSantis Deputy Chief of Staff Courtney Coppola; Ana Cruz; former Jax Mayor Lenny Curry; former Rep. Jose Diaz; former Secretary of Economic Opportunity Dane Eagle; Jordan Elsbury; Mathew Forrest; Jan Gorrie; Christopher Hansen; John Johnston; Todd Josko; former DeSantis Chief of Staff Adrian Lukis; Carlos Ramos; Monica Rodriguez; Katherine San Pedro; Justin Sayfie; Tola Thompson; Courtney Whitney; and Amy Young.

The international firm’s $9 million first quarter represents an increase of more than 20% from the $7.4 million it reported for the same quarter last year. It’s also a nearly $500,00 bump over the prior quarter, when the firm reported earning $8.55 million.

Another No. 1 for Ballard Partners: It represents more clients that cracked the $50,000 cap on range reporting than any other firm in the state.

It touts 17 contracts in the $50K-plus range — 14 in the Legislature and three more in the executive. The firm’s top Q1 client was Access Restoration Services, a global emergency management firm. It paid $196,000 overall, split evenly across Ballard’s reports. Law firm Panza Maurer ranked No. 2 with $136,000 overall, followed by Sentara Health Plans at $129,000.

A handful of Fortune 500s are also listed on the firm’s list of 300-plus Florida clients, including Amazon, one of a half-dozen companies worldwide with a trillion-dollar-plus market cap. County and municipal governments are also a revenue driver, as are some of the largest state universities in Florida — Ballard Partners represents UF, UCF, FAU and FAMU, which have a combined student body of more than 160,000.

Florida Politics estimates lobbying pay based on the middle number of the per-client ranges firms listed on their compensation reports. Contracts are reported in $10,000 increments up to $50,000. Firms are also required to register overall earnings ranges. However, firm-level ranges top out at $1 million, a hurdle most firms in the Top 10 — including Ballard Partners — easily clear.

Based on Ballard Partners’ per-client ranges, the firm’s overall earnings could have topped $11.65 million in Q1 — $6.60 million in the Legislature and $5.05 million in the executive branch. Should the firm match its first-quarter reports throughout 2024, its earnings would approach the $36 million mark, which is well above the $31 million it collected in 2023.

Florida lobbyists and lobbying firms faced a May 15 deadline to file compensation reports for the period covering Oct. 1 through Dec. 31. Compensation reports for the second quarter are due to the state on Aug. 14.