A lobbyist is paid by an organization to promote the organization’s positions to federal and state legislatures and, less frequently, to administrative agencies. Lobbyists may also work to change public opinion through advertising campaigns or by influencing “opinion leaders” or pundits, thereby creating a climate for the desired change. Many lobbyists are lawyers who have served in federal or state government (usually in legislative roles); because lobbyists depend on their personal relationships with legislative members, their staffs, and agency officials, prior government experience is often a prerequisite for this type of work.