Advocacy Glossary

Legislative director

What does legislative director mean?

A legislative director is the senior staffer who runs a legislator's policy work, supervises the legislative assistants, and advises the member on how to vote.

Why it matters for advocates

In a congressional office, the legislative director, often called the LD, sets policy priorities and signs off on positions. They are busy, and getting their time is a sign your issue matters to the office.

Most advocates meet the legislative assistant first. A clear one page brief is how your issue travels from that meeting up to the LD.

The fastest way to put these terms to work: generate a one-page policy brief free at PolicyPage