EAO 016

A person is not required to register under chapter 305 of the Government Code if direct communication and preparation to influence administrative action constitute no more than five percent of the person’s compensated time during a calendar quarter. The registration and reporting requirements of chapter 305 do not apply to the provision of “merely clerical assistance in producing direct communication” to influence administrative action. The registration and reporting requirements of chapter 305 do not apply to a discussion between a lawyer and a member of the executive branch about whether a proposed trademark was in fact confusingly similar to an already existing trademark.