Bayer Signs DLA Piper to Lobby on Building Standards Issues

Updated at 5:35 p.m.

DLA Piper last week notified Congress it is lobbying for the polymer unit of a German pharmaceutical and chemical giant.

The law firm is advocating for the Bayer AG company Bayer MaterialScience LLC on "[b]uilding materials technology and standards policy," according to a lobbying registration filing. Bayer spokesman Bill Allan wrote in an e-mail that DLA Piper's work concerns "technology the company developed to protect people and structures from blasts and terrorists attacks." Based in Pittsburgh, Bayer MaterialScience LLC creates polymers that are used in building construction, as well as electronics, cars, sports equipment and other goods.

DLA Piper partners Matthew “Mac” Bernstein, James Pickup and Steven Phillips, as well as policy adviser Nathaniel Bell and associate Beth Schwanke, are handling the account.

Bayer Corp., Bayer’s North American subsidiary, shelled out $1.48 million on its federal government advocacy during the first three months of this year, according to the company’s latest report to Congress on its lobbying activities. The company deployed its own employees, as well as outside lobbyists, to advocate on its behalf, according to congressional records.

Thus far, Sidley Austin and Williams & Jensen are the only firms to report to Congress that they lobbied for a Bayer company this year. Bayer paid Sidley $160,000 for its advocacy efforts on behalf of Bayer HealthCare during the first quarter of 2012. Williams received $30,000 for its work for Bayer Corp. during that period.