We think it's possible to do things as local counsel the way they were done in the good old days.

Local Counsel

The courts and composition of law firms that practice in the DC area are unique. Don Holmes, Senior Partner of HOLMES PITTMAN & HARAGUCHI, even teaches a course for University of Iowa law students called “The National Practice of Law in Washington, DC,” which covers this topic. However, lawyers and business professionals from all the states and foreign countries must often come to the District of Columbia to resolve disputes and litigation, and it's important that they know the intricacies of this unique system. 

The GOOD Old Days 

In the "old days," there were law firms that specialized in acting as local counsel for people and companies who did not live, work, or have their professional offices here. Being local counsel meant something–it meant you were extremely knowledgeable about how to get things accomplished quickly in this particular area. 

When a local counsel worked for out-of-town law firms, they were shown respect for their specialized skill in dealing with local matters. They made suggestions to lead counsel about how to do things–but they would never think of interfering with lead counsel’s pursuit of the case. Local counsel would be horrified at the thought that someone would consider that they could steal part of the client’s business from the lead counsel.

THE RIGHT WAY

Do you see why we call this approach what was done in the “old days”? Now everything is cut-throat and with no respect for individual expertise: all clients are fair game for taking their business.

We think it's possible to do things as a local counsel the way they were done in the good old days. We enjoy working with and supporting lead counsel, and being told what they need done in the Washington area, going off and doing it, and recognizing this as our sole role. We have done this for foreign lead counsel, foreign corporations, even foreign governments, and major corporate counsel from the United States. It does not make any difference. It is simply recognizing that a service needs to be provided and doing it with the same business ethics that prevailed almost fifty years ago when Mr. Holmes started as a young lawyer, as the thirteenth person in a very old line law firm at 16th and K Street, Northwest, Washington, DC.

Consider us, if you have this need.