The 50 highest-grossing lobbying practices took in more than $1.1 billion in fees in 2009, according to the study. Overall revenue for the firms on the list was up 5.5 percent, which followed an increase of just 2.3 percent in 2008. No fewer than 33 of the firms on the list posted an increase in gross revenue in 2009.

“Clearly, this was a great year to be a Democratic lobbying firm,” said David Brown, editor in chief of The National Law Journal. “In the decade that we’ve been producing this survey, I can’t recall a time when so many firms saw such significant increases in revenue over the prior year. There’s no recession on K Street.”

Law firms took in about 66 percent of all lobbying revenue, which is about the same percentage as 2008. A major catalyst for the increase in lobbying revenue was the overhaul of the nation’s health care system. Big winners included the Podesta Group, which publicly reported $8.2 million in fees from clients lobbying on health issues in 2009; Alston & Bird with $3.9 million; Holland & Knight with $4.2 million; and Capitol Tax Partners with $3.6 million.

The top ten firms on the “Influence 50” were:

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Podesta saw a 44% rise in gross lobbying revenue from 2007 to 2008.

So far this year, the firm has filed 18 registrations for new federal lobbying clients, including Deloitte, Michelin North America, and Sallie Mae. The firm’s existing clients include Google, Wal-Mart, and Reed Elsevier, the company that owns Lexis-Nexis.

The new additions include Teal Baker, an official in President Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, who returns to Podesta after leaving in 2007.

Peggy Binzel is a former legislative director for then-US Representative Jack Fields of Texas.

Beth Inadomi returns to Podesta; she is a former counsel on the Senate Commerce Committee.

Aranthan Jones II worked for then-US Representative William Jefferson, Louisiana Democrat.

Andy Lewin worked for US Representative Dennis Moore, Democrat of Kansas, and then-US Representative Max Sandlin, Democrat of Texas.

Bob Taylor was deputy assistant secretary of defense for Senate affairs.

The Podesta Group is a lobbying and public affairs firm based in Washington, DC. It was founded in 1988 by brothers John Podesta and Tony Podesta, and has previously been known as Podesta Associates and PodestaMattoon.

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