DC Pulse


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    Bar Exam Pass Rates Increased In 2025, ABA Says

    The pass rate for first-time takers who sat for the bar exam rose by more than a percentage point last year over 2024, according to statistics released by the American Bar Association.

  • Holyoak's US Attorney Nomination Advances

    The nomination of Melissa Holyoak, former commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, to be U.S. attorney for the District of Utah was sent to the full Senate on Thursday.

  • Judges, Lawmakers Urge 4th Circ. To Affirm Halligan Ruling

    Members of Congress and former federal judges have urged the Fourth Circuit to affirm that Lindsey Halligan was not properly appointed as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, saying the episode exemplifies why there are guardrails against installing political loyalists as federal prosecutors.

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    Judges Call Out Violent 'Never-Before' Rhetoric Against Them

    Federal judges who experienced firsthand harassment and violence called out the rise of "dehumanizing" rhetoric on Wednesday and warned that it could erode judicial independence.

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    Ex-Senior Atty For Int'l Finance Corp. Joins Hunton

    Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has hired a former senior counsel from International Finance Corp., who spent 12 years there and who worked as the global legal lead for the institution's asset management company.

  • Spencer Fane Hires Transactions, Banking Partners In D.C.

    Spencer Fane LLP has hired two attorneys in Washington, D.C., who focus their practices on consumer financial matters, financial services and compliance-related issues, the firm announced Tuesday.

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    Patent Firm Rebrands, Names New Managing Partner

    Fabricant LLP has a new name and a new managing partner, the patent litigation boutique announced Wednesday.

  • Military Attys In DOJ 'Erodes Democratic Norms,' Ex-JAGs Say

    Nearly a dozen former military lawyers raised the alarm about the Trump administration appointing judge advocate officers to U.S. attorneys' offices, urging a Minnesota federal judge Tuesday to bar an Army lawyer from prosecuting a case that accuses a civilian of assaulting federal immigration enforcement agents.

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    Judiciary Approves Supreme Court Public Defender Office

    The federal judiciary approved a new office Tuesday aimed at improving the quality of representation for indigent defendants with cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. 

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    DOJ Official Faces Ethics Case Over Georgetown DEI Letters

    U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin has been hit with disciplinary charges in the nation's capital over threatening letters he sent to Georgetown University Law Center last year while he was interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C.

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    AI Disruptions Raise Questions On Legal Judgment's Value

    Artificial intelligence could disrupt business as usual for law firms and legal departments, but a panel of experts on Monday showed there are varying differences of opinion on the importance of human judgment in legal matters.

  • Wisconsin Judges Decline To Extend Interim US Atty's Term

    A majority of judges in the Eastern District of Wisconsin have declined to extend the tenure of interim U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel, according to an announcement Tuesday.

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    Sidley Hires Career Kirkland Government Contracts Attorney

    Sidley Austin LLP has hired a Kirkland & Ellis LLP government contracts lawyer, who is joining the team as a partner in Washington, D.C., to work on government contracts and national security matters.

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    Mayer Brown Adds 6 McGuireWoods Attys In Houston, DC

    Mayer Brown announced Tuesday that it has hired six attorneys from McGuireWoods LLP for its litigation and dispute resolution and corporate and securities practices, including the former office managing partner of that firm's Houston office.

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    KPMG Law Wants 'Unglamorous' Work, New Legal Chief Says

    Big Four accounting giant KPMG LLP is hoping to stay in its own lane and build on its existing suite of services as it moves forward with its year-old law firm subsidiary KPMG Law US, the company's newly appointed U.S. legal chief, Christian Athanasoulas, told Law360 Pulse this week.

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    Former HWG Partner Launches Legal Ethics Firm In DC

    A former HWG LLP partner is launching a legal ethics-focused firm that will advise law firms and lawyers on professional responsibility issues and represent attorneys facing disciplinary proceedings, regulatory investigations and malpractice matters.

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    Arnall Golden Hires Former Rhode Island Prosecutor In DC

    Arnall Golden Gregory LLP has hired a former Rhode Island assistant attorney general, who represented the office of the state's top attorney in an ongoing fight with Meta Platforms Inc. over its social media sites' allegedly addictive design.

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    Bradley Arant Launches New Outside General Counsel Team

    Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP announced that its new outside general counsel services team is up and running with a recently hired Dallas-based partner at the helm.

  • Kavanaugh, Jackson Debate High Court Emergency Orders

    U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh pushed back Monday against critiques that the high court is ruling in favor of President Donald Trump in emergency appeals more often than it did for prior presidents, saying people who believe those allegations have "short" memories. 

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    Costs Are Pushing Law Firms In A Corner Amid Consolidation

    A growing mismatch between revenue-driving demand and expenses among U.S. law firms could drive more firms to either be acquired or fold.

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    Boeing CLO Earns $2.5M Increase Through Bumpy Ride

    The top lawyer for the Boeing Co., who has guided management through years of legal troubles, earned more than $6.95 million in total compensation in 2025 — a $2.5 million increase over the previous year, according to a securities filing.

  • SCOTUSblog Founder Goldstein To Be Sentenced In June

    SCOTUSblog founder Thomas Goldstein, currently under home confinement in Washington, D.C., after a Maryland jury convicted him on tax evasion and mortgage fraud charges, will face sentencing in June.

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    Bass Berry Expands Executive Team Amid Leadership Reorg

    Bass Berry & Sims PLC has added two new roles to its leadership team while expanding the responsibilities of other firm executives.

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    Norton Rose Fulbright Launches Digital Infrastructure Team

    Norton Rose Fulbright LLP has launched a data center and digital infrastructure group, making it the latest firm to announce a dedicated team focused on the environmental, energy, regulatory and business aspects of the developments that power artificial intelligence technology.

  • Justices To Review Guam Munitions Disposal Suit

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to review a Guam community group's challenge to the U.S. Air Force's bid to explode expired munitions on the island, after a divided Ninth Circuit found the agency should have conducted an environmental review.

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Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    It's Time To Hold DC Judges Accountable For Misconduct Author Photo

    On the heels of Thursday's congressional hearing on workplace protections for judiciary employees, former law clerk Aliza Shatzman recounts her experience of harassment by a D.C. Superior Court judge — and argues that the proposed Judiciary Accountability Act, which would extend vital anti-discrimination protections to federal court employees, should also include D.C. courts.

  • What ABA Student Well-Being Standards Mean For Law Firms Author Photo

    While the American Bar Association's recent amendments to its law school accreditation standards around student well-being could have gone further, legal industry employers have much to learn from the ABA's move and the well-being movement that continues to gain traction in law schools, says David Jaffe at the American University Washington College of Law.

  • Series

    Ask A Mentor: How Do I Build Rapport In New In-House Role? Author Photo

    Tim Parilla at LinkSquares explains how new in-house lawyers can start developing relationships with colleagues both within and outside their legal departments in order to expand their networks, build their brands and carve their paths to leadership positions.

  • What Attys Should Consider Before Taking On Pro Bono Work
    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
    Author Photo

    Piper Hoffman and Will Lowrey at Animal Outlook lay out suggestions for attorneys to maximize the value of their pro bono efforts, from crafting engagement letters to balancing workloads — and they explain how these principles can foster a more rewarding engagement for both lawyers and nonprofits.

  • Roundup

    Ask A Mentor Author Photo

    As the legal profession undergoes a dramatic period of change, experts answer questions on career and workplace conundrums in this Law360 guest article series.

  • 7 Ways Attys Can Improve Their LinkedIn Summaries Author Photo

    Lawyers can use LinkedIn to strengthen their thought leadership position, generate new business, explore career opportunities, and better position themselves and their firms in search results by writing a well-composed, optimized summary that demonstrates their knowledge and experience, says Guy Alvarez at Good2bSocial.

  • How Law Firms And Attys Can Combat Imposter Syndrome Author Photo

    Imposter syndrome is rampant in the legal profession, especially among lawyers from underrepresented backgrounds, leading to missed opportunities and mental health issues — but firms can provide support in numerous ways, and attorneys can use therapeutic strategies to quiet their inner critic, says Helen Pamely at Rosling King.

  • The Law Firm Qualities Partners Seek In Lateral Moves Author Photo

    In 2022, partners considering lateral moves have new priorities, and firms that hope to recruit top talent will need to communicate their strategy for growth, engage on hot issues like origination credit and diversity initiatives, and tailor their integration plans toward expanding partners’ client base, says Gloria Sandrino at Lateral Link.

  • Small Steps Can Help Employers Beat Attorney Burnout Author Photo

    Lawyers are experiencing burnout on a massive, unprecedented scale due to the pandemic, but law firms and institutional players can and should make a difference by focusing on small, practical solutions that protect their attorneys’ most precious personal resource and professional commodity — time, says Chad Sarchio, president of the District of Columbia Bar.

  • The Evolving Role Of The Law Firm Legal Secretary Author Photo

    Technological shifts during the pandemic and beyond should force firms to rethink how legal secretaries can not only better support timekeepers but also participate in elevating client service, bifurcating the role into an administrative support position and a more elevated practice support role, says Lauren Chung at HBR Consulting.

  • Series

    Ask A Mentor: How Can I Ace My Upcoming Annual Review? Author Photo

    Jennifer Rakstad at White & Case highlights how associates can emphasize achievements and seek support before, during and after their annual review, despite the pandemic’s negative effects on face time with colleagues and business development opportunities.

  • How Your Law Firm's Brand Can Convey Prestige Author Photo

    In order to be perceived as prestigious by clients and potential recruits, law firms should take their branding efforts beyond designing visual identities and address six key imperatives to differentiate themselves — from identifying intangible core strengths to delivering on promises at every interaction, says Howard Breindel at DeSantis Breindel.

  • How Dynamic Project Management Can Help Law Firms Author Photo

    Law firms looking to streamline matter management should consider tools that offer both employees and clients real-time access to documents, action items, task assignee information and more, overcoming many of the limitations of project communications via email, says Stephen Weyer at Stites & Harbison.

  • What I Wish Law Schools Taught Women About Legal Careers Author Photo

    Instead of spending an entire semester on 19th century hunting rights, I wish law schools would facilitate honest discussions about what it’s like to navigate life as an attorney, woman and mother, and offer lessons on business marketing that transcend golf outings and social mixers, says Daphne Delvaux at Gruenberg Law.

  • 4 Ways To Break Down Barriers For Women Of Color In Law Author Photo

    Female lawyers belonging to minority groups continue to be paid less and promoted less than their male counterparts, so law firms and corporate legal departments must stop treating women as a monolithic group and create initiatives that address the unique barriers women of color face, say Daphne Turpin Forbes at Microsoft and Linda Chanow at the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession.

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