After working as an executive for a number of French companies, he established a network of businesses in West Africa, including food processing in Côte d'Ivoire, pharmaceuticals manufacturing in Ghana, and newspaper publishing in Togo.
[3] As Togo transitioned from one-party rule to a multiparty system, Lawson took part in the Sovereign National Conference of July and August 1991 as a member of the Association for Social Faith and Freedom, and he was a member of the High Council of the Republic, which acted as the transitional parliament following the National Conference.
He was also Special Advisor on Political Affairs to Prime Minister Joseph Kokou Koffigoh during the transitional period.
Due to the death of President Gnassingbé Eyadéma on 5 February 2005, a presidential election was held on 24 April 2005.
Lawson ran as the PRR candidate, but withdrew on 23 April after the interior minister called for a postponement of the poll.