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The Political Life - from campaigns to capitols and everywhere in between. A show about the people whose lives are immersed in the political world, and how they got there. Politicians, lobbyists, pollsters, and business people. If they're on the show, they're living the political life.

Hosted by Jim O'Brien, The Political Life introduces you to the personalities and "day in the life" experiences of some of the most interesting and dynamic individuals in the field. 

Sep 30, 2019

Did you know the Burning Man festival has a lobbyist? We are joined today by Rich Gold, who is a Partner at Holland & Knight, one of the largest lobbying firms in D.C., where he serves as a leader of the firm’s Public Policy and Regulation team. Rich shares his experience working for unique clients like Burning Man, and many more. Rich manages the firm's national lobbying team which has over 85 members, bringing in annual revenue of $25-30 million.

  • Rich grew up in New York and New Hampshire
  • He attended The University of Vermont for a B.S. in Business and obtained his J.D. from George Washington University.
  • He served as a Staff Attorney, and later Special Assistant to Carol Browner at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
  • Rich served as a Special Assistant for Environmental Affairs to US Senator Lloyd Bentsen.
  • He has worked at Holland & Knight for the last 25 years.

“It’s really important in current times to understand that the process that we are involved in, advocating for public policy, is sacred, and something that most around the world don’t get to do.”

Burning Man is an annual festival which takes place in Nevada on federal land, and Rich talks about the unique issues that arise with lobbying for one of the most famous music festivals in the world. At its height, Burning Man populates the desolate desert area with a population, comparable to a small city.

Rich also provides tips on coalition building, and the key skills he looks for in potential employees.

Holland & Knight takes on about six paid government relations interns in D.C. every semester!

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