Washington, D.C.

Our Washington, D.C., team provides a solution-oriented, inside-the-beltway perspective for market leaders and emerging innovators navigating uncertain regulatory, judicial and geopolitical landscapes.

The office is also home to teams that align with the sectors and subject matters areas Orrick is known for globally, including a focus on technology, energy and infrastructure, intellectual property and finance.

Strategic Advisers at the Nexus of Government

Regulatory & Enforcement

Our multidisciplinary Strategic Advisory & Government Enforcement (SAGE) group features alums from Congress, DOJ, SEC, FTC, CFPB and other regulatory and policymaking entities. We deliver business-focused advice, drawing perspectives from financial services regulatory and enforcement, white collar, privacy and cybersecurity, competition, public policy, trade and technology transactions.

  • Orrick’s Financial & Fintech Advisory practice—established through our 2023 combination with Buckley—is one of the country’s largest and most recognized fintech and consumer financial regulatory and enforcement teams, with several Chambers Band 1 practices. Today, 75% of our fintech clients rely on Orrick for both transactional and regulatory advice.
  • Our Antitrust & Competition lawyers counsel leading companies on matters at the intersection of technology, intellectual property and regulated industries. We represent clients in mergers and conduct matters before the FTC and DOJ’s Antitrust Division, as well as in criminal cartel investigations, federal and state court litigation and international regulatory proceedings.
  • U.S. and foreign companies turn to Orrick’s International Trade & Investment group to help navigate the regulatory complexities of cross-border transactions. Members of our D.C. team counsel clients on compliance with U.S. economic sanctions and anti-money laundering laws and have worked on some of the highest-profile foreign investment transactions before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

Litigation

We go to trial—and win—for our clients with a team The American Lawyer recognized as finalists for the 2023 Litigation Department of the Year. Our D.C. team handles a diverse docket with a deep bench drawn from former prosecutors, regulators and clerks to the nation’s highest courts.

  • Orrick’s Supreme Court & Appellate group is one of the most respected appellate practices in the country. With many members based in D.C., we are a destination practice for bet-the-company and industry-changing appeals.
  • Companies and individuals rely on our White Collar team for strategic counsel in high-stakes criminal and civil investigations, including those focused on tech-enabled criminal enforcement.
  • Our Intellectual Property practice—named as a finalist for the 2023 IP Litigation Department of the Year by The American Lawyer—represents clients on a wide range of matters, including in Section 337 investigations before the International Trade Commission as well as patent infringement cases before the U.S. District Courts and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  • Our D.C. Employment Law & Litigation team includes the former Principal Deputy Chief of the Employment Litigation Section in the Civil Rights Division of DOJ and has experience representing clients in matters involving the EEOC, DOJ, DOL and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP).

Local Talent, Global Focus

We’ve built our firm by attracting top talent that aligns with our global sector focus on technology, energy and infrastructure, finance and life sciences. Our D.C. office reflects this strategy and serves clients in almost every industry segment and practice area that Orrick is known for.

  • Members of our D.C. Energy, Infrastructure & Decarbonization team counsel clients on the development, construction and financing of significant energy and infrastructure projects, including all types of renewable and conventional energy facilities. We also advise clients on the implications of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), including renewable energy tax credit transfers and direct pay opportunities. They are part of a global practice ranked Band 1 for Energy Transition, Renewable Energy and Power & Renewables (Chambers).
  • Our nationally dominant Public Finance practice includes a D.C.-based team that advises state and local governments and financial institutions on tax-exempt financings and features one of the nation’s leading authorities on the taxation of municipal finance and post-issuance tax compliance matters.
  • D.C.-based lawyers in our Structured Finance practice advise clients on capital markets and debt financing transactions, as well as federal securities laws and other regulatory issues. They are part of a global team recognized for its pioneering work on esoteric assets, PACE securitizations and other cutting-edge deals in the ABS market.

Our Office & Our Community

A dedication to public service drives many who live and work in the Capital Region. Lawyers and staff in our D.C. office demonstrate this shared commitment through pro bono legal services, advocacy and volunteerism. We are leading supporters of numerous legal aid organizations and other community organizations. Through the Orrick Cares program, we’ve partnered with local elementary schools, supported the Washington Humane Society, and supported initiatives in underserved communities throughout the District. We also created a national Veterans’ Legal Career Fair, a one-of-its-kind annual event that connects legal employers nationwide to lawyers who are veterans or active-duty service members preparing to transition out of the military.

Insights