Lawyer, lobbyist merge operations to broaden reach.

A lobbyist and an attorney have joined forces to create a Los Angeles firm that provides expertise in their two fields.

"There are firms that combine law and lobbying, but very few to the degree that we are promoting that combination," said Cynthia McClain-Hill, who merged her boutique law firm, McClain-Hill Associates, earlier this month with Advocacy Group, a Sacramento-based lobbying group.

The new firm, Strategic Counsel, will lobby before the California legislature, Los Angeles City Council and state and local boards and commissions. Clients include ChevronTexaco Corp., International Truck and Engine Corp. and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

"We have found many of our clients' legal problems also involve public policy-related components," she said. "By paying attention to the public policy environment, we can prevent problems before they arise or effectively solve them."

Advocacy Group was founded by Mel Assagai, a former journalist who spent 12 years with former state Sen. David Roberti and five years as a chief lobbyist for the State Bar of California.

Assagai and McClain-Hill have worked together for utilities, real estate developers, insurers and telecommunications companies. Locally, they represent Comcast Corp. and Majestic Realty Co. in matters before the Los Angeles City Council.