Robert Kamm

Reputation

A good name, like good will, is got by many actions and lost by one.

Texas is a big state, but there are not many secrets at the Capitol. People usually know who they can trust. For the past 24 years I have worked hard to build trust at the Capitol. By taking time to learn as much as possible about a legislator and his or her district, I can avoid putting them in a position to say yes or no to an idea inconsistent with their basic beliefs or constituency. And, they always appreciate knowing what the other side is saying about your issue (if they don't already know). Finally, it is paramount that if I agree to do something, then in fact I do it as agreed.

My introduction to the Texas Legislature came from six years as a lawyer in the Texas Senate, and as a candidate for the Texas House of Representatives. That inside view, particularly as lawyer for a major Senate Committee, spotlighted many examples of trust and reputation - both good and bad - that continue to guide me today.

Hard Work

Energy and persistence conquer all things.

Mr. Franklin's words have guided me often in my life, from being an undersized quarterback in high school to paying my way through college and law school. His words carry great weight in the legislative process as well: never be outworked and never give up. For example, I helped one client pass the first licensing bill of its kind in the nation on the first try despite substantial opposition – with his words carrying the day.

Prior to lobbying, I practiced law for nearly 10 years in Houston, Dallas, and Williamsburg, Virginia (when my wife Kelly taught at William and Mary). I was fortunate to have several mentors during that period who were admirable examples of “energy and persistence”.

Knowledge

The more you know, the less you write.

Remembering this saying has helped me both as lawyer and lobbyist. And funny the ones we remember. Father Bosch, a Jesuit and extraordinary history teacher at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York (from which I received my undergraduate degree), recited this often as he walked around the room during our exam periods. He would limit our essay answers to one side of one page of those small blue exam books. You could keep writing beyond that, but you could be sure he wouldn’t read it.

Over the years, I have taken his wise words to heart as I write briefs and legislative summaries of client issues. When I have two minutes to visit with a legislator as we walk down a Capitol hallway, the more that I know about my client's issue, the easier it is to explain an often complicated issue being considered by the legislature.

Preparation

In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.

After graduating from law school in 1978, I joined a commercial litigation firm in Houston, Texas. It could not have been a more perfect training ground for a young inexperienced lawyer. In my first two years alone, I tried more than 12 jury trials and found myself almost daily battling more experienced lawyers on the motion docket. I quickly learned that to be successful I needed to be well prepared. Primarily contract litigation, I learned that being thorough and paying attention to details gave me the best chance of winning.

It is much the same in the legislative arena, where the littlest thing can derail a bill. By preparing well, anticipating questions and being ready with answers, the road can be much smoother. For example, I have led a lobby team in passing nearly 90% of our client's legislative agenda during four regular sessions of the Legislature – compared to the average of 28% - by preparing well.

When I represented the largest business association in the state, it was only through rigorous preparation that I was able to keep on top of eight different subject areas, numerous association committees and a large board of directors.

Innovation

Go where you don’t want to go to get where you are going.

My wife Kelly and I have two children, Christian 17 and Megan 14. Besides being talented musicians they also like sports and so I have had the pleasure of coaching them through soccer, baseball, football and basketball. We have all kinds of little sayings in basketball to teach fundamentals such as “catch and face” and “look, pass, save your dribble for last”. One of my favorites is “go where you don't want to go to get where you are going”, which requires the player to move in one direction, plant their foot, and quickly move to where they wanted to end up. It’s very effective in getting the offensive player open for a pass.

Sometimes the legislative process is as pressuring as a good defense. And sometimes to be successful you have to move your client's interest in a number of different directions. By adopting the maxim of Coach Jones, I can help my client maneuver through the rough spots with amendments or other techniques when their bill gets trapped in the corner.

Understanding

You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.

I am a trained mediator and try to mediate at least once a month as a volunteer at the Austin Dispute Resolution Center. The cases are civil matters from the courthouse. Nevertheless, my mediation experience seems to fit in well with my work at the Capitol. Despite having only "perfect clients" who advocate only the greater good, someone is always opposed to what they are trying to achieve. By sorting out different interests, my clients can often find a solution that is acceptable to them and to the other stakeholders.

Family

At last I know what love is really like.

This quotation introduces not my experience of lobbying, but my loving wife Kelly. Besides being a wonderful wife and mother, she moonlights as a finance professor extraordinaire at the University Of Texas School Of Business. She has been a constant supporter of my lobby career, and now and then even offers a bit of advice to me and my clients – free of charge.