Business law firm Mason Hayes and Curran has set up a new public affairs practice to advise clients on changes in legislation and ways in which they can try to shape new legislation.

Led by Dr Brian Hunt, a former legal adviser to Fine Gael, the team of three lawyers is the first dedicated public affairs practice established by an Irish law company.

Mason Hayes and Curran said that the formation of the new team indicated that Ireland was moving in the direction of the Washington lobbying scene, which is dominated by specialist lobbying firms, mostly comprising lawyers.

Dr Hunt said that as politics becomes more sophisticated, it is no longer enough for organisations to issue a press release or to make noises about how this or that legislation is bad.

"We would see the service as being complementary to the service provided by PR firms and would envisage a situation where we would be working together," he said, adding that the practice would involve more than just lobbying politicians.

The company's public affairs practice has been established following requests from clients for reviews of existing legislation and for assistance in forming proposals for change.

One of the key proposals in the Government's Regulating Better white paper, published in 2004, was that Government departments would actively consult with sectors of society before they draw up legislation governing that sector.

Mason Hayes and Curran has already acted on behalf of a body representing nursing home owners in relation to the draft nursing homes' Bill, a group representing architects in relation to the Building Control Bill and a representative group in the entertainment industry in relation to the Liquor Codification Bill.