WASHINGTON — Holland & Knight, the law firm with one of the largest lobbying practices in Washington, reported $40.58 million in federal lobbying revenue in the first nine months of 2026, down 2% from $41.21 million a year earlier, according to its Lobbying Disclosure Act filings. Its largest account this year is Sable Offshore Corp., which is seeking federal approvals to restart oil production off the California coast.
The figures are fees clients reported paying the firm, not personal pay for any lawyer or lobbyist. The Inquisitor counted each client once per quarter, using the latest amended report.
Quarter by quarter
| Quarter | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| First | $14.63 million | $13.09 million |
| Second | $13.43 million | $14.10 million |
| Third | $12.52 million | $14.02 million |
| Nine months | $40.58 million | $41.21 million |
| Fourth | Due January 2027 | $13.73 million |
The firm started 2026 ahead of last year’s pace, but third-quarter revenue was about 11% below the same quarter of 2025. It listed 361 clients on 2026 reports, compared with 382 for all of 2025.
Sable leads the client list
Sable Offshore paid Holland & Knight $1.01 million through September, more than any other client and roughly twice the next largest. The company’s third-quarter report lists “project authorization for oil and gas production offshore California and for the use of pipeline and transportation and processing infrastructure in California.” The filings show no Sable fees to the firm in the first three quarters of 2025.
The administration has backed expanded domestic oil and gas production, including offshore, arguing it lowers energy costs and strengthens national security. California officials and environmental groups have opposed restarting the offshore project.
Largest accounts
| Client | Fees, Jan.–Sept. 2026 | Fees, Jan.–Sept. 2025 | Issues listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sable Offshore | $1,010,000 | — | Offshore California oil and gas project authorization |
| Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico | $510,000 | $510,000 | Implementation of PROMESA |
| Innovas Indiana | $450,000 | $450,000 | Hypersonics, microelectronics, defense budget |
| Wikimedia Foundation | $450,000 | $250,000 | Wikipedia governance, artificial intelligence, Section 230 |
| Occidental Petroleum | $420,000 | $360,000 | Energy Department contracts, energy tax policy |
| American Chemistry Council | $390,000 | $390,000 | Housing construction, building energy codes, plastics research |
| Oklo | $390,000 | $480,000 | Advanced and small modular nuclear reactors |
| Smithfield Foods | $360,000 | $810,000 | Agricultural exports, animal welfare standards, farm bill |
Smithfield Foods cut its spending with the firm by more than half, while the Wikimedia Foundation, which operates Wikipedia, nearly doubled its fees. Wikimedia’s report lists issues including “advocacy related to artificial intelligence” and Section 230, the law that shields websites from liability for users’ posts.
New clients this year include the Office of the Governor of Colorado, at $240,000, per its report; Qnity Electronics, at $230,000; the quantum computing company IonQ, at $210,000, per its report; the commodities giant Glencore, at $190,000, per its report; AMG Critical Materials, at $180,000; and LG Chem, at $150,000.
Who lobbies
Holland & Knight listed 94 lobbyists on 2026 reports, among them three former members of Congress. Those with the most clients, and positions they disclosed, include:
- Misha Lehrer, 36 clients: former legislative aide to Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.
- Daniel Sennott, 32 clients.
- Larry Bucshon, 21 clients: former Republican representative from Indiana, who left the House in January 2025.
- Christopher Jaarda, 19 clients: former senior policy adviser to Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., now the House speaker, and former deputy chief of staff to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
- Elizabeth Craddock, 16 clients: former staff director of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
- Jim Davis, a former Democratic representative from Florida, and Ed Perlmutter, a former Democratic representative from Colorado.
Former members of Congress may not lobby their former colleagues for a set period after leaving office. Lobbying reports list which chambers and agencies were contacted, not which lobbyist made each contact, and nothing in the filings indicates any contact barred by those rules.
Request for comment
The Washington Inquisitor is seeking comment from Holland & Knight, Sable Offshore, the Wikimedia Foundation, Oklo and the Colorado governor’s office, and from OpenSecrets, which tracks lobbying, on the data. This story will be updated with any responses.
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