From the Harvard Crimson: Harvard has ended its decadeslong relationship with O’Neill Athy and Casey, a boutique Washington, D.C. lobbying firm that had represented the University since at least 1999, according to a disclosure filed Monday... The split ends one of Harvard’s longest-running outside lobbying relationships even as the University has dramatically expanded its broader influence operation in Washington.
Harvard began searching for an additional outside lobbying firm following former University president Claudine Gay’s disastrous December 2023 congressional testimony on campus antisemitism. Her widely criticized appearance fueled attacks against Harvard and underscored the University’s limited relationship within the Republican Party. Days before U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, Harvard hired Ballard Partners, a firm with deep ties to Trump’s inner circle...
Harvard spent nearly $1 million on federal lobbying in 2025, its highest annual total in more than two decades. Harvard also saw its legal fees skyrocket in fiscal year 2025, reporting $126.6 million in legal fees in a tax filing posted in May. The number marked a 58 percent increase from the previous year, when the University spent roughly $80 million. Before fiscal year 2024, Harvard’s legal expenses had hovered around $20 million... The rising costs of Harvard’s federal advocacy come during a period of broader strain. The University reported a deficit of $113 million in fiscal year 2025, its first since the pandemic.
Full story at https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2026/7/21/harvard-ends-oneill-athy-casey-retainer/.
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