Washington, D.C.

Regulatory Insights

More than 325 lawyers — including many former senior government officials for both US political parties — comprise Latham’s Washington, D.C. office. The team draws on its knowledge of the inner workings of government to help clients navigate all three branches of the US government. A number of clients highlighted the value of Latham’s knowledge of these government agencies in Chambers USA 2018, praising the “perspective their lawyers have on those in the government — they have such deep government experience and really understand the landscape in Washington.”

Bet-the-Company Litigation Strength

Latham’s formidable bench of trial litigators in Washington, D.C. handle clients’ most complex criminal matters, investigations conducted by government agencies and/or Congress, litigation in all US courts, and the full range of commercial disputes. In 2018, The National Law Journal named Latham co-winner of the D.C. Litigation Department of the Year award for “successfully navigating a high-stakes landscape with cases that featured both a breadth and depth of practice areas and some novel legal issues.”

Corporate Powerhouse

The firm successfully handles many of the largest M&A and capital markets transactions, reflecting Latham’s “Wall Street in Washington” capabilities that are distinct among the region’s firms. Chambers USA 2018 noted that Latham’s corporate lawyers are “best in class with consistent, high-quality teams across the board.”

Industry Know-How and Full-Service Capabilities

Lawyers in Latham’s Washington, D.C. office regularly advise multi-national corporate clients, as well as local, small, and mid-sized companies across multiple industries and legal disciplines, including:

• Aerospace, Defense & Government Services
• Antitrust & Competition
• Capital Markets
• Communications
• Energy Regulatory
• Environment, Land & Resources
• Export Controls, Economic Sanctions & Customs
• Government Contracts
• Healthcare & Life Sciences
• Information Law, Data Privacy & Cybersecurity
• Insurance Coverage Litigation
• Intellectual Property Litigation
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Outsourcing/Technology Transactions
• Private Equity/Private Equity Finance
• Project Development & Finance
• Public Company Representation
• Securities Litigation & Professional Liability
• Supreme Court & Appellate
• Tax/Tax Controversy
• White Collar Defense & Investigations

Awards and Rankings

In 2018, Chambers USA recognized many of the firm’s practices in top tiers for the Washington, D.C. market, including:

• Antitrust
• Corporate/M&A and Private Equity
• Environment
• General Commercial Litigation
• Healthcare
• Intellectual Property Litigation
• Media & Entertainment
• Tax
• Technology & Outsourcing
• Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite
• White Collar Crime & Government Investigations 

Additionally, clients and leading publications regularly recognize the firm for its dedication to giving back to the community. In 2018, The National Law Journal named Latham to its annual “Pro Bono Hot List,” which celebrates “law firms that do well by doing good.”

Latham’s pro bono work has ranged from obtaining reparations for Holocaust survivors and assisting asylum seekers to defending prisoners’ rights and challenging municipal ordinances affecting the homeless. Latham's Washington team provides pro bono legal services to hundreds of non-profits and supports numerous organizations through local community focused programs, including:

• Charter Board Partners
• Habitat For Humanity
• Miriam’s Kitchen
• The Children’s Law Center
• Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts
• Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
• Whitman Walker Clinic

The Washington team also participates in the Generous Associates Campaign, an annual fundraiser for the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia led by associates from various D.C. law firms. In 2013, Latham & Watkins raised US$84,083 for the campaign, making the firm the top fundraiser in its category, and the second highest overall.