A Second Brain for Lobbyists

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As a lobbyist you’ll spend a lot of your time preparing issue notes.
Most of us can’t remember everything. I think these notes serve three purposes:
  1. Second brain for you
  2. Second brain for your client
  3. Update for client
2nd Brain
If you, like me, can’t remember everything you need to know, having a resource you can reply on is helpful.
You can use bought for or self-created tools.
There are some excellent issue trackers out on the market. I found EU Issue Tracker excellent.
But, it helps to prepare your own ‘micro-targeted’ notes, that deal with the granularity of your client issues.
You can provide access via OneNote, Sharepoint, Evernote etc. It helps to be structured and searchable Co-Pilot will make it a lot easier to find the relevant piece of information.
Some things to bear in mind:
  • You are writing for the reader and not for you. Keep your pet obessions out.
  • Give your ‘unique’ take that AI / Summamry Services can’t yet give.
  • Hone your note down to the ‘essence’.
  • Keep the number of issues limited to around 3. Don’t water board the reader.
  • Add useful links at bottom.
  • Make sure the note is timely. Ideally, on the day.
A General Process
I prepare a note in two stages.
Stage 1
  1. Original Source: Add links to original sources
  2. Bolded passages – Go through the report/debate/judgement and bold any points that strike you as relevant. Note any observations you have.
  3. Narrow do the key points: Take extracts from the report/debate/judgement.3-5 i a good number.
  4. Summarise the essence/your key take away(s)
Stage 2
Turn the sections on their head
  1. Add a Clear heading on why the reader should read the note.
  2. Provide a link to the report/debate/judgement
  3. Key Point Summary : Be clear what the note is about
  4. Go a little deeper on the key takeaways (if relevant). Provide relevant extracts and add thee page and para number.
Example 1: – Case Law Summary
  • Headline that encapsulates that the judgement is about
  • Case: Case Number, Parties to Case, Hyperlink
  • 2 line summary: What the Court decided.
  • Mention if on appeal if at General Court.
  • Extract of relevant sections with a heading about what section is about. Limit it 3-5 points.
  • Add a reference to the paragraph in each section.
Example 2: Legislative Passage
For any exchange in Committee/Council/Council Working Group, I use the following template.
Stage 1
  1. Add the name of the file and date of exchange
  2. List the Issues you are looking out for
  3. List the people you think will speak: e.g. Rapportuer, Shadows, others with an interest in your issue; Member States
  4. Have three parts
    • Supportive
    • Oppose
    • Questions of Clarification + Commission’s response (if appropriate)
  5. Next Steps
    1. Next Meetings
Stage 2
  1. Open up the template
  2. Open up the debate online and open up recording
  3. As the debate goes on list the essence of what people are saying under supportive, oppse, and questions of clarification
  4. Note down in more detail any relevant questions and answers.
  5. List the next steps: e.g. deadline for amendments, vote in Committee
  6. Add a link to the transcript from the recording and check if you have any doubts
  7. Check if your assessment of the situation is right or needs updating. For example, politicians you thought were backing you have switched side.
  8. Edit
  9. Add Annex
  • File Name
  • Where @
  • EP
  • Council
  • Commission
  • Key People
  • EP: Rapporteur/Shadow
  • Council: Presidency lead, Working Party, Expert Group, Committee
  • Commission: Desk Officer, Task Force, ISSG, ISC
  • Your issues
Example 3: Reading a Proposal
I’ve just been cleaning up my home office.
I’ve just put in the paper bin my work on the revision of the CLP Regulation.
I digested a few hundred pages into 2. It expanded to 3 when the EP and council started tabling amendments.
This is how I progressively summarise a legislative proposal.
I realise many trees die in this process. Paper is superior to a screen for me.
Stage 1: Collect
  1. Proposal: Print
  2. Impact Assessment: Print
  3. RSB Opinion: Print
  4. Have Your Say documents
Stage 2: Review
  1. List the relevant parts of the proposal to you: Recital, Scope, Articles, Annex and the Explanatory Memorandum
  2. Cross reference the above with the information provided in the Impact Assessment and the RSB Opinion
  3. Check to what extent your submissions to the Have Your Say were taken on board/addressed
  4. Identify is there any gaps in the evidence and the reasoning the Commission used to support the proposal
  5. Check if you raised points in the Public Consultation
  6. Check if you have information to hand
  7. If not, should you commission studies/evidence
Stage 3. Draft a summary note
  1. Highlight in 2-3 lines why the proposal is of important to you.
  1. Cut and paste for each issue:
  • Recital
  • Articles, especially:
  • Definition
  • Scope: In/Out
  • Procedures to add you/remove you from scope
  • Provisions Impacting you, e.g. pay to a scheme
  • Relevant Annexes and provisions
  • Relevant Procedures: Implementing Acts/Delegated Acts
  • List the Expert Group/Member State Committee (add number if they already exist)
  • Key Dates:
    • Date of Entry into Force
    • Date provisions will impact you
    • Tranposal date
    • Review Date
  • Add: Lead officials working on the file
Stage 4: Finalisation
  • Tidy up note
  • Check with colleagues no gaps
  • Use note
You’ll notice that I use paper. It is easier for finding the cross-references. I can scribble down the amendments next to each relevant Article.
By relevant Article(s), I mean just those that are of interest to the client. I don’t think I need to know the whole proposal. I’m not able to memorise 100 plus pages, so don’t try. So, i just focus on the essential elements.
For each of these issue notes – debate, case law, legislative proposal – they are prepared for a specific client.
If you have more than one client working on the same/similar issue, I think the only way to prepare is one at a time. If you try and prepare an issue note for more than one client the granularity and specificity, and the actual value, collapses.

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