Local time:

The iconic images of Washington, DC, tell only part of the city's story and the prominent role Dentons has played in it. The Congress, the White House, the Supreme Court—each edifice evokes strength, purpose and stability.

But there is an even richer tapestry. Approximately, 186 countries have embassies or other representation here. The world's leading international financial institutions—the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Finance Corporation and many others—are based here. With many of the country's leading think tanks, universities and colleges, medical institutions, and trade and professional associations and interest groups based here, Washington is a thriving marketplace for ideas, innovation and invention. It’s no wonder every major media organization covers what happens here 24 hours a day, every day. What happens in Washington drives global trends, sparks debate, and creates challenges and opportunities.

Our Washington office traces its roots to 1939, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s then attorney general returned to private law practice to form his own firm. In decades that followed, our office has grown dramatically, and remained at the center of law, policy, politics and strategy - providing counsel on a wide range of matters to clients large and small.

The multidisciplinary capabilities offered by the Washington office include the following, among others:

The office’s nationally ranked Public Policy practice team offers strategic advice and advocacy informed by its members’ backgrounds as members of Congress or high-level congressional staff, senior executive branch officials, and corporate and association public affairs professionals. As the US federal regulatory landscape has grown more complex and noncompliance failures have become more consequential, US domestic and foreign companies doing business here have placed greater reliance on our skilled regulatory group for sound counsel and skillful representation in the areas of international trade, transportation, telecommunications, and political and election law. Complementing the practice is the office’s leading Native American Law and Policy team, which helps tribal governments and businesses navigate an increasingly complicated legal, political and business dynamic.

Our leading Intellectual Property and Technology team, which includes many holders of advanced engineering or science degrees, represents pharmaceutical companies, computer and IT firms, financial institutions, and other major companies and institutions from across the globe. The team focuses on patent preparation, patent protection and litigation, along with related licensing, technology transfer and due diligence services.

The office’s Commercial Litigation team handles a wide variety of litigation and dispute matters in courts and other tribunals, with a particular focus on handling litigation arising in connection with the office's substantive regulatory disciplines, including antitrust, investigations, securities litigation and insurance. As needed, the team works seamlessly with Dentons’ nationally recognized Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice.

Our Health Care lawyers counsel hospitals, health plans, pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies, physicians' organizations, insurance exchanges and other stakeholders on regulatory compliance, public policy, reimbursement and coverage, transactions, alleged fraud and abuse, governance, data privacy and other matters. The Health Care team offers many years of collective experience as senior federal and state officials, private sector executives and seasoned health care lawyers.

Our Energy team provides strategic support worldwide to clients throughout the industry, from major oil and gas companies and independents, electric power generators and utilities, and solar, wind, hydro, biomass and cogeneration companies; to transportation operators, energy users, financial firms, and investors focused on the development of renewable and alternative energy sources.

The office's international capabilities include experienced lawyers and professionals who are internationally qualified and have lived and practiced around the world.

By working on diverse projects, with diverse industry players and with colleagues in Dentons offices across the country and around the globe, our DC team offers a breadth of skills and a depth of experience to help you pursue opportunities and overcome challenges at the intersection of law, business and government—whether in Washington, across the nation or around the world.

Recognition

Six Dentons partners named to Law360’s editorial advisory boards

March 21, 2025

Law360 has named six Dentons lawyers to its 2025 editorial advisory boards

Dentons wins Sector Deal of the Year at 2024 M&A Advisor Awards

November 22, 2024

Dentons is proud to announce that the Firm won Sector Deal of the Year in the Healthcare/Life Sciences ($10mm to $50mm) category at the 2024 M&A Advisor Awards for our representation of Curitec, LLC.

Dentons partner Louis 'Tony' Pellegrino receives CIGIE Award for Excellence in Investigations

November 15, 2024

The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) honored partner Louis “Tony” Pellegrino with the Award for Excellence in the category of Investigations.

View all recognition for Washington, DC

Insights

The Road to November:
Insights on the 2024 Election - State of the 2024 Presidential Race and a Pre-Election Analysis

October 15, 2024

As America's major political parties and their nominees gear up for the pivotal fall campaign season, Dentons’ Public Policy team is pleased to invite you to the third session of our “Road to November” webinar series.

The Road to November:
Insights on the 2024 Election - State of the 2024 Presidential Race and Analysis of the Presidential Debate

September 12, 2024

As America's major political parties and their nominees gear up for the pivotal fall campaign season, Dentons’ Public Policy team is pleased to invite you to the third session of our “Road to November” webinar series.

The Road to November:
Insights on the 2024 Election - A look at the current status of the Presidential race including Vice President Kamala Harris’ pick of Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, as well as a preview of the upcoming Democratic Convention

August 15, 2024

As America's major political parties select their nominees and prepare for the fall campaign, Dentons’ Public Policy team invites you to the inaugural session of our “Road to November” webinar series.

View all insights for Washington, DC

News and Events

Recent Press Releases

Four Dentons lawyers named to Washingtonian's Top Lawyers list

January 13, 2025

Washingtonian magazine has named four Dentons lawyers to its annual Washington, DC’s Top Lawyers list, published in the December 2024 issue.

Seth Waugh joins Dentons as senior policy director in Washington, DC

January 13, 2025

Dentons announces today that Seth Waugh has joined the Firm as a senior policy director in the Public Policy and Regulation practice, resident in the Washington, DC, office.

Dentons advises on the sale of Photoneo to Zebra Technologies

January 3, 2025

Dentons has advised Slovak technology company Photoneo – a leading provider of industrial 3D vision, AI-powered automation solutions and robotic intelligence software – on the sale of its business to the Chicago-based Zebra Technologies, a Fortune 1000 NASDAQ-listed leader in smart data capture technology.

View all press releases for Washington, DC