Powell Goldstein has formed a strategic partnership with lobbying group Massey & Bowers Public Affairs, strengthening the Atlanta law firm’s presence under the Gold Dome.

The venture is further evidence that Atlanta’s big law firms are systematically developing lobbying practices on the state level, either through building in-house practice groups or forging partnerships. Lobbying on the state level has become more important as the federal government shifts responsibilities and regulations from Washington, D.C., to the states.