Williams & Connolly has defied conventional industry practices by adopting an adversarial relation with the Department of Justice (DOJ). Uniquely, the law firm employs a minimal number of former federal prosecutors, who are largely sought after by other top white-collar defense firms for internal DOJ insight. The firm is recognized for its independence and seldom engages in lawyer transfers from or to competitors. They’ve chosen to function in a single office in Washington and maintains a small partnership, unlike the increasingly large law firms around the country.
Instead of recruiting DOJ veterans, the lawyers at Williams & Connolly have found success by routinely questioning the integrity of the prosecutors they are up against, a strategy made feasible due to the absence of DOJ alumni in the firm. This distinctive approach has attracted a niche yet well-financed pool of clients including Google, Amazon Inc., and Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes.
However, the firm finds itself in the midst of an immensely evolving industry. The country’s largest law firms are expanding swiftly and are bolstering their rosters through the federal government’s revolving door. Some commentators from within the industry, including ex-lawyers from Williams & Connolly, are skeptical about how long the firm can maintain its distinctive culture, born in the 1970s.
Williams & Connolly remains a staunch advocate for its model of training the best lawyers to serve its clients. “Our model of training the best lawyers to serve our clients has passed the test of time. The changing legal landscape has not impacted our approach to growing our own talent, without lateral partners, in a single office. We have never lost a top business generator, and the firm has never been busier,” says an anonymous source from the firm who speaks of its state of affairs.
Further, the firm has a reputation for vigorously defending its clients till the last breath. Cases that exhibit this approach include their representation of a former Wells Fargo executive who, in September avoided imprisonment in the bank’s maligned accounts scandal, and of a former Indiana mayor whose bribery conviction the firm persuaded the US Supreme Court to contemplate overruling.
That said, time will tell how Williams & Connolly manages to navigate its unique identity amid rapid industry transformations and what the future holds for its unique strategies. Bloomberg Law provides an in-depth look into this fascinating narrative.