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The Washington office of Mayer Brown serves the interests of our global, national and local clients before an array of judicial, legislative and policy bodies. In addition, we counsel clients on a wide variety of corporate, real estate and other business transactions. Our lawyers work closely with their colleagues across the Americas, Asia and Europe as dictated by our clients' interests. In addition, we have alliances with Jáuregui, Navarrete y Nader, one of Mexico City's most respected law firms, Tonucci & Partners (Italy), and Ramón & Cajal in Spain in order to meet our clients' needs.
The office, which comprises more than 170 lawyers and professionals, is home to a number of practice groups.
These practices are not standalone units, but are fully integrated with each other and with the larger organization. Our lawyers take advantage of Mayer Brown's collegial environment to seek out the insights of knowledgeable lawyers from different disciplines and geographies. We believe this practice allows us to combine attention to detail with a full appreciation for a client's larger business issues.
Antitrust
The office's antitrust group assists clients involved in civil and criminal governmental antitrust investigations, and provides antitrust analysis and advocacy before the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission in connection with mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures in a wide array of industries, including the health care industry. We advise companies and trade associations on compliance with foreign and domestic antitrust laws, regulations, and policies.
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Appellate & Supreme Court Practice
Our Appellate and Supreme Court Practice is the largest practice of its kind in the United States, featuring four former Deputy Solicitors General, two former Assistants to the Solicitor General and numerous former Supreme Court law clerks and faculty from leading law schools. Collectively, our appellate lawyers, almost half of whom are based in the Washington office, have argued 188 cases in the U.S. Supreme Court and have briefed and argued hundreds of cases in federal and state appellate courts across the nation.
Our appellate practice covers many fields, including constitutional law, punitive damages, intellectual property, white collar criminal defense, employment discrimination, antitrust, product liability, tax, and civil forfeiture. Recent cases include representing advertising companies bringing First Amendment challenges to city anti-billboard ordinances; representing the waste disposal industry in challenging under the Commerce Clause restrictions on the importation of out-of-state waste; representing telephone companies in a challenge to personal jurisdiction in antitrust litigation brought by a competing provider of Internet yellow pages; and representing United Air Lines and the Dulles Airport Airlines Management Council in defending against antitrust claims.
In the Supreme Court, Mayer Brown lawyers represent either parties or amici in approximately 15 cases each term, arguing, on average, three to four per term, including six during the 2002 Term. The cases we have argued in the Supreme Court cover a variety of subjects, including federal preemption, federal jurisdiction, constitutional limitations on punitive damages, employment discrimination, and federal criminal law.
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Corporate & Securities
The Washington Corporate & Securities practice is principally involved in acquisitions, joint ventures and other transactions for companies in the telecommunications, accounting, consulting, building materials, and health care industries. The group also represents major national banks in securitization transactions. In addition, this practice group works closely with the tax and ERISA group in negotiating and documenting transactions on behalf of investment advisers and institutional investors involving the acquisition, financing, and development of real estate.
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Environmental
Our Washington-based practice provides a variety of services to companies facing environmental risks. We represent manufacturers, utilities, transportation companies and other organizations in suits brought by municipalities and private parties. We counsel real estate developers on environmental issues surrounding project developments and assist them in navigating local, state and federal regulations. Our lawyers perform environmental due diligence and advise clients on the best methods for allocating risk in mergers and acquisitions.
Clients, especially industrial companies, come to us for help in staying in compliance with the many overlapping, and at times competing, environmental regulatory authorities. We assist retailers and other entities in evaluating leases and other real estate contracts in light of such environmental risks as asbestos in building materials and pathogens in HVAC systems. Our lawyers help clients to manage these kinds of exposures and to allocate the environmental risks.
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ERISA
The ERISA group is principally involved in representing corporate and other clients with regard to tax legislation, Treasury regulations, and Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor administrative rulings and exemptions. The group represents investment advisers and consultants with respect to investments by ERISA plans and pension plans of governmental units and major corporations, and represents large pension plans in the design and implementation of their investment programs. This group's practice includes the design of investment vehicles in the form of direct accounts, joint ventures, limited partnerships, group trusts, and tax-exempt corporations. Members of the ERISA practice also defend clients in fiduciary investigations and litigation and participate actively in the office's financial services regulatory practice.
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Financial Services Regulatory & Enforcement Practice
Mayer Brown's Financial Services Regulatory & Enforcement Practice provides practical, sophisticated and comprehensive advice to a broad spectrum of domestic and international regulated financial institutions and financial services firms, including banks, non-bank lenders, insurance and securities firms, and other types of financial services intermediaries and their non-financial counterparties. Leveraging off the Firm's marquee practice groups and client bases, including its Banking and Finance and Securitization practice groups, the Financial Services Regulatory & Enforcement Practice advises financial services institutions and their counterparties on all aspects of their organization and governance; transactions and operations; product development, marketing and distribution; and compliance activities.
The Financial Services Regulatory & Enforcement Practice includes lawyers with senior-level experience with federal financial institution regulators, and offers extensive experience with, and an in-depth understanding of, the financial services industry. Our experience with all major federal financial regulatory schemes, and knowledge of major sectors of the financial services industry, allows us to offer our clients broad-based, highly practical and knowledgeable advice that is sensitive to our clients' business objectives and priorities, current developments and trends affecting their businesses, and regulatory sensibilities. We bring to our clients a high level of substantive expertise and judgment, the ability to understand and respond quickly and flexibly to client needs and concerns, and a strong understanding of, and the ability to harmonize, the multiple legal and regulatory schemes that affect our clients' business activities.
In keeping with the Firm's global approach to servicing its clients, the Financial Services Regulatory & Enforcement Practice plays an integral role in assisting key practice areas of the Firm in meeting our clients' needs. We work in close consultation with diverse Firm practice groups, including: the Firm's Corporate and Securities practice group on financial services business combination and other corporate matters; its Litigation practice group on financial services administrative and judicial litigation and appellate matters; the Information Technology practice group on financial services technology and outsourcing matters; the Investment Management, Private Investment Fund and Wealth Management practice groups on financial asset management issues; and the Employee Benefits and Compensation practice group on ERISA and other tax deferred asset management issues.
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Government & Global Trade
This practice represents corporations, financial institutions, not-for-profit entities, and other clients in all aspects of the legislative and policy process, in the U.S. and in other jurisdictions. The trade group represents U.S. and international clients in transactional matters, such as acquisitions, joint ventures, countertrade, sourcing, distribution, and technology transfer; regulatory matters, such as antidumping and countervailing duty proceedings, customs regulations, export controls, economic embargoes, anti-boycott laws, and restrictions on foreign investment in the United States; and policy matters, such as legislation and international negotiations affecting trade, in the areas of agriculture, intellectual property, investment, services, technology, and unfair trade practices.
The legislative group advises clients on legal and legislative drafting issues, particularly in the areas of securities law reform, transportation, labor, tax, telecommunications, health care, environmental, energy, and procurement fraud. In addition, the group develops and implements legislative strategies for clients and makes presentations on behalf of its clients to Members of Congress, committee counsel, and executive branch officials.
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Government Contracts
Companies contracting with the government can encounter unique problems that require experienced counsel. This practice helps clients identify the opportunities and manage the challenges of contracting with federal, state and local government agencies. We have more than 25 years of experience in the sector representing contractors from virtually every industry.
The practice includes leading members of the government contracts bar with the optimum balance of skills and seniority needed to address the challenges our clients face. Whether negotiating terms, clearing regulatory hurdles, managing a contract dispute, or defending against parallel civil and criminal investigations, we have the leadership and industry focus to help contracts succeed.
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Health Care
The Washington health care practice represents insurers, providers, managed care organizations, associations, coalitions, technology, pharmaceutical and biotech companies and government entities before Congress, the Executive Branch, the Health Care Financing Administration and the Department of Labor. We provide legal advice and legislative counsel on federal legislative, regulatory and policy initiatives. We help clients develop and implement practical legislative strategies, draft proposed legislation and build consensus within organized coalitions. Our lawyers monitor and analyze legislative and regulatory proposals. We are adept at composing and presenting testimony that moves thinking before the U.S. Congress. We advocate client positions with members of Congress, their staffs and members of the Administration.
The group also provides counsel in corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, outsourcing and structuring joint ventures, and regulatory and compliance counseling. The group's lawyers have considerable experience in the areas of outsourcing, antitrust, fraud and abuse, Stark and HIPAA. In addition, they have assisted clients in managed care and health benefit structuring, provider integration strategies, and new product approvals and coverage.
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Homeland Security
In response to the government's reorganization around the threat of terrorism, Mayer Brown has also reorganized to create a Homeland Security Practice. Headquartered in Washington, the group draws on the knowledge and talents of a diverse collection of experienced partners from across the global organization. Many of these partners have worked in the past with the 22 agencies that now comprise the Department of Homeland Security. The group brings together a remarkable depth of experience in government contracts, international trade, financial services, transportation, government legislation and policy, research and development, and biodefense contracting. Having participated in the process of its creation, we have an in-depth understanding of the SAFETY Act (subtitle G) of the Homeland Security Act and its impact on sellers or purchasers of anti-terrorism technology. Our financial services lawyers have significant experience with the Patriot Act restrictions. Our insurance litigation group has been involved in a number of high visibility cases involving terrorist acts and our appellate practice has handled government contractor defense cases. By linking this talent and experience together we are positioned to assist our clients to navigate successfully through this complex and dynamic new department.
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Intellectual Property
The Washington D.C. IP Group practices in four major areas of IP law, including:
- Litigation of disputes involving patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair competition, licenses, franchises and related antitrust matters.
- Preparation and prosecution of applications for patents, trademarks and copyrights.
- IP Portfolio evaluations and strategic assessments.
- IP transactional matters including IP licensing and IP due diligence.
Washington D.C.'s IP practice encompasses the fields of biotechnology, chemistry, electrical and mechanical engineering, and computer hardware and software for clients in a wide range of businesses. The office has registered patent attorneys as well as experienced IP trial lawyers with substantial experience in obtaining, enforcing and transferring IP rights.
More about Mayer Brown's Intellectual Property Practice >> Litigation The D.C. office is a critical part of the renowned Mayer Brown litigation practice. The office's litigation practice encompasses both civil and criminal matters for a diverse array of clients, including major accounting firms, automakers, energy suppliers, telephone companies, construction companies, banks, and high technology companies. More about Mayer Brown's Litigation Practice >>. Outsourcing The lawyers in the Washington office are an integral part of Mayer Brown's renown outsourcing practice, one of the largest and most experienced in the field. Our lawyers have played a significant role in the outsourcing revolution, providing sound legal and business advice to companies who have helped define best practices in outsourcing. As a global force, Mayer Brown has more than 50 outsourcing lawyers in the United States, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. These lawyers advise established and emerging companies in structuring forward-thinking outsourcing solutions. We develop customized solutions for on-shore, near-shore and off-shore outsourcing transactions, including the outsourcing of business processes and functions, energy management, e-commerce transaction processes and support, mainframe and midrange systems, desktop and laptop computers, help desks, local and wide area networks, telecommunications, Internet/intranet, audio/video conferencing, application development and maintenance, and leasing/procurement. We regularly handle transactions ranging in size and complexity from multi-billion dollar global outsourcing transactions to routine out-tasking arrangements. Our lawyers have developed innovative methodologies and tools that facilitate and expedite the successful completion of contract negotiations, while preserving and even strengthening the customer relationship. More about Mayer Brown's Business Technology and Sourcing Practice >> Real Estate The Washington practice represents clients, both U.S.-based and international, in a wide variety of real estate transactions, with a particular emphasis on financing, acquisitions, sales and leasing. Our lawyers counsel institutions in major mortgage loan transactions, on both the lenders' and borrowers' sides, and advise REITS, pension funds, banks, insurance companies, credit companies, and private investors in connection with their proposed and existing real estate financing, purchases, leases, and holdings. The group helps clients structure and execute acquisitions of major commercial property, including office buildings, major retail malls and shopping centers, hotels, multifamily residential, industrial and land. The practice can call on the exceptional breadth and depth of resources that Mayer Brown provides. Our lawyers can reach out to our international network of offices to access the knowledge and skills necessary to provide excellent service to clients in complex real estate transactions worldwide. Similarly, they can deliver substantial expertise in ancillary areas of practice, including letters of credit, guaranty and suretyship, insolvency and corporate issues. With the diverse array of structures and sources of finance now in the market , including joint ventures, hedges, derivatives, mezzanine loans, commercial paper conduits, swaps, caps, synthetic leases, and leveraged leases, the real estate industry spills over its historic boundaries into a wide range of substantive areas. Our lawyers know these products; in many cases we helped create them. As one of the world's leaders in banking law, securitization, tax, environmental law, investment management, creditors' rights, and project finance, we are well positioned to guide our clients through the business considerations, regulatory constraints and tax implications of the structures that best meet their needs. More about Mayer Brown's Real Estate Practice >> Regulated Industries The office's regulatory practice represents clients in proceedings before administrative agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Interstate Commerce Commission, Federal Communications Commission, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Department of Transportation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Department of Energy, and Department of Labor. The practice represents utilities and other companies in negotiating contracts for the purchase of energy supplies and in major contract disputes, and financial institutions in connection with the financing of pipelines, nonutility electric generators, and other energy-producing enterprises. In addition, the regulatory practice represents clients with respect to regulatory compliance, licenses, rulemaking proceedings, administrative procedures and enforcement proceedings in transportation, telecommunications, labor, and food and drug matters. More about Mayer Brown's Regulated Industries Practice >>
Securities Enforcement & Investigations
Lawyers in Mayer Brown’s Securities Enforcement & Investigations practice have extensive experience defending the full range of investigations conducted by the SEC, FINRA (formerly NYSE and NASD), CFTC, PCAOB, individual states, and other self-regulatory organizations (SROs) on behalf of institutional and individual clients. Our team includes former senior SEC and NASD enforcement attorneys and federal prosecutors who are at the forefront of defending against ever-changing regulatory priorities and investigative initiatives. We also advise foreign and domestic financial service providers on compliance with the federal securities laws and SRO rules, and counsel clients through regulatory examinations and inspections. We bring our experience in defending against government investigations to bear on internal and independent investigations on behalf of broker-dealers, investment advisers, investment companies, and public companies.
We also handle securities-related matters subject to investigations by the Department of Justice, FBI, state and federal grand juries, and the various state attorneys general. In addition, we represent clients in complex civil litigation arising under federal and state securities laws. Our combined enforcement and litigation experience is unique. While we often take charge of a representation at the first sign of regulatory interest in a situation, clients also retain us near the culmination of an investigation to assess their litigation options, to vigorously defend against enforcement proceedings in court or before regulatory tribunals, or to negotiate favorable resolutions.
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Securities Litigation/Corporate GovernanceOur internationally recognized securities litigation, corporate governance and regulatory compliance practice brings together the highest level of legal experience and talent to best represent our diverse clients in matters involving all aspects of securities and corporate governance-related litigation, internal investigations and regulatory compliance.We offer a unique ability to combine specific knowledge and experience with the resources of our firm's sophisticated practices in related disciplines to represent our clients in these often-complex litigations, investigations and regulatory matters in the securities and corporate governance areas with unmatched depth, efficiency and excellence. We regularly represent our clients in class action and derivative litigations, proceedings before the SEC, AG and FINRA (formerly NYSE and NASD), and in internal and audit committee investigations. Our proven ability to try complex securities and corporate governance issues both in state and federal courts stand our clients in good stead in avoiding protracted litigation. More about Mayer Brown's Securities Litigation and Corporate Governance Practice >> Back to Top
Tax Controversy & Transfer PricingThe Tax Controversy & Transfer Pricing Group consists of lawyers, CPAs, and economists whose practice is primarily dedicated to resolving clients' transfer pricing issues. The group advises taxpayers on their transfer pricing compliance; represents taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service regarding issues of domestic and international taxation, including transfer pricing; negotiates advance pricing, cost sharing, and competent authority agreements; and, as necessary, litigates cases in the Tax Court, Court of Claims and other forums. Litigated cases and tax controversy matters have involved a wide range of domestic and international tax issues, including transfer pricing. The group currently represents companies in the semiconductor, financial products, pharmaceutical, oil and gas, heavy equipment, and computer products industries, among others. More about Mayer Brown's Tax Controversy & Transfer Pricing Practice >>
White Collar Defense & ComplianceMayer Brown’s White Collar Defense practice is familiar with the full range of criminal issues facing individuals and organizations. Today there are increasing demands placed upon businesses as a result of the Justice Department's corporate prosecution standards (including requirements of privilege waiver, limits on the indemnification of employees, and other prerequisites for cooperation). Many of our criminal defense partners are former federal and state prosecutors, and a number of them served in significant leadership positions in the Justice Department and elsewhere, including Deputy Solicitor General in charge of criminal litigation before the Supreme Court, Chief Counsel of U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Attorney General of the State of Illinois, and Chief of the Watergate Task Force, Watergate Special Prosecutors Office. In addition, a number of these have served in federal, state and appellate judicial clerkships. These lawyers have the knowledge and experience to assist companies in navigating the increasingly aggressive government investigative techniques and range of sanctions for unlawful conduct. More about Mayer Brown's White Collar Defense Practice >> |
