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Williams & Connolly

American law firm

American law firm

FieldValue
firm_nameWilliams & Connolly LLP
firm_logo[[Image:Williams-connolly-logo.JPG250pxWilliams & Connolly]]
headquarters680 Maine Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C.
United States
num_offices1
num_attorneys300–400
practice_areasLitigation
date_founded1967
founder
company_typeLLP
homepage

Washington, D.C. United States

Williams & Connolly LLP (often abbreviated to W&C) is an American law firm based in Washington, D.C. known for its specialization in white-collar crime defense. The firm was co-founded by Edward Bennett Williams and Paul Connolly in 1967. Williams had left the partnership of D.C. firm Hogan & Hartson to launch his own litigation firm.

High-profile cases include the successful defense of U.S. President Clinton's impeachment, representation of Enron's law firm Vinson & Elkins, representation of the motion picture studios in the Kazaa/Grokster file-trading litigation, defense of the Vioxx cases, and counsel for the plaintiff states in the United States v. Microsoft antitrust remedy trial. The firm represented Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North during the Iran-Contra Affair and John Hinckley, the would-be assassin of Ronald Reagan. In 2025, the firm was reported to have been hacked in a Chinese state-sponsored espionage campaign.

Clientele

Williams & Connolly partner Robert Barnett has represented Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, James Patterson, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Bob Woodward, Sarah Palin, Dick Cheney, Alan Greenspan, Katharine Graham, Ben Bernanke, Paul Ryan, Tim Russert, Barbra Streisand, Jack Welch, Khaled Hosseini, Bill Walton, Mitch McConnell, Jake Tapper, and others.

The firm's corporate clients include Google, Disney, Samsung, Intel, Bank of America, The Carlyle Group, Medtronic, Genentech, Eli Lilly, Halkbank, and 21st Century Fox. The firm represented Elizabeth Holmes in her Theranos criminal trial.

In 2023, the University of Michigan retained Williams & Connolly to consult the University in connection with the alleged opponents’ play signal decoding scandal involving the Michigan football program. In 2024, the University of Virginia retained W&C to investigate allegations against Melina Kibbe following an open letter signed by 128 faculty members declaring no confidence in her.

In 2025, Perkins Coie hired Williams & Connolly to defend itself after being targeted in an executive order by President Donald Trump. W&C filed suit against the order in federal court winning a restraining order. W&C was described as "a very brave law firm" by the U.S. district judge in the case, given that the Trump administration was determined to punish and terrorize law firms that provided services to Trump's perceived opponents.

In January 2026, Federal Reserve Bank chairman Jerome Powell retained Williams & Connolly in response to President Donald Trump's retaliatory prosecution against Powell.

Recognition

Williams & Connolly is notable for having a reputation for being the most aggressive and skilled firm in cases against the Department of Justice, known for a scorched-earth approach.Perkins Coie Hires Williams & Connolly Lawyers to Fight Trump

In 2025, Vault.com ranked Williams & Connolly as the #1 firm for White Collar Defense and Internal Investigation in the United States, and the #2 law firm in Washington, DC. Williams & Connolly was ranked in 2025 as the second most selective law firm in the country, after law firm boutique Munger, Tolles & Olsen. Williams & Connolly is the subject of the 2010 book Masters of the Game: Inside the World's Most Powerful Law Firm by Kim Eisler.

As of 2024, no woman had made as many United States Supreme Court appearances as Williams & Connolly partner Lisa Blatt, who has advocated in front of the Supreme Court over 50 times.

Alumni

Prominent alumni of the firm include:

  • Edward Bennett Williams, high-profile founder of the firm, Washington Redskins and Baltimore Orioles team owner, and political power broker
  • Elena Kagan, associate justice of the United States Supreme Court
  • Jeff Kindler, former CEO of Pfizer
  • Larry Lucchino, president and CEO emeritus of the Boston Red Sox
  • Gregory Craig, former White House Counsel under President Barack Obama
  • Mike Pompeo, 70th United States Secretary of State
  • Laurie S. Fulton, former United States Ambassador to Germany under President Barack Obama
  • Amul Thapar, judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • Allison Jones Rushing, judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • Scott Matheson Jr., judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
  • Ana C. Reyes, judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
  • Embry Kidd, judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Over the past decade, 45 Supreme Court clerks have been full-time or summer associates with Williams & Connolly. Sarah M. Harris, appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as acting solicitor general in early 2025, is a partner.

Brett Kavanaugh, associate justice of the United States Supreme Court, worked at Williams & Connolly for one summer as a summer associate.

References

References

  1. "Williams & Connolly Relocates to Washington, D.C. Wharf - Williams & Connolly LLP".
  2. (July 6, 1987). "Washington Talk: Profile, North's Attorney; 'Workaholic Is Really Too Bland'". The New York Times.
  3. (July 29, 2006). "Vincent Fuller, 75, Lawyer Who Won Hinckley Case, Dies".
  4. (October 31, 2002). "Key Players in Microsoft Trial". Edwardsville Intelligencer.
  5. Lyngaas, Sean. (2025-10-08). "US law firm with major political clients hacked in spying spree linked to China".
  6. "Robert B. Barnett". wc.com.
  7. (April 14, 2017). "Can Washington's Original Dealmaker Survive Trump?". politico.
  8. "Firm". politico.
  9. "Theranos' Elizabeth Holmes Went Down With the Ship, Defense Says in Closing Argument of Fraud Trial".
  10. "Williams & Connolly Retained for U of Michigan Head Coach Investigation".
  11. HEMPHILL, EMILY. (2024-09-18). "UVa hires international law firm to investigate hospital complaints".
  12. Lucas, Ryan. (2025-03-12). "Judge blocks Trump from enforcing 'chilling' order against law firm". NPR.
  13. Marcus, Ruth. (2025-03-27). "How Donald Trump Throttled Big Law".
  14. (January 12, 2026). "Justice Department opens criminal probe into Fed chair over renovation testimony: Republican Senator Thom Tillis slammed the unprecedented investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell as an effort to end the central bank's independence.". Courthouse News service.
  15. (2025-03-10). "Firm Targeted by Trump Over Clinton Campaign Work Hires Top Litigators". The New York Times.
  16. [https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/dojs-fiercest-opponent-is-last-of-its-kind-as-industry-shifts DOJ's Fiercest Opponent Is Last of Its Kind as Industry Shifts]
  17. "Williams & Connolly LLP {{!}} Company Profile {{!}} Vault.com".
  18. "Most Selective Law Firms". Vault.com.
  19. "Masters of the Game".
  20. (2024-04-13). "Nearing 50 Supreme Court arguments in, lawyer Lisa Blatt keeps winning".
  21. "Lisa S. Blatt".
  22. Krebs, Albin. (1988-08-15). "Edward Bennett Williams, Trial Lawyer, Dead at 68; A Brilliant 'Superlawyer'". The New York Times.
  23. (March 20, 2009). "Elena Kagan Sworn in as Solicitor General". doj.gov.
  24. "Jeffrey Kindley". tufts.edu.
  25. Prashant Dubey, Eva Kripalani. (September 19, 2013). "The Generalist Counsel: How Leading General Counsel are Shaping Tomorrow's Companies". OUP USA.
  26. "Larry Lucchino". mlb.com.
  27. "Amid Mueller Probe, Gregory Craig Retires From Skadden". law.com.
  28. Lefler, Dion. (July 29, 2010). "Pompeo hopes varied background gives him edge". [[The Wichita Eagle]].
  29. "Laurie S. Fulton".
  30. "Nominee Report". [[Alliance for Justice]].
  31. (April 20, 2010). "Supreme Court Clerk Hiring Watch: Meet Justice Thomas's Clerks". [[Above the Law (website).
  32. (2010). "United States Senate Judiciary Committee Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees". [[United States Senate Judiciary Committee]].
  33. "District Judge Ana C. Reyes {{!}} District of Columbia {{!}} United States District Court".
  34. Headley, Tiana. (November 18, 2024). "Embry Kidd to Join Thin Ranks of Black Male Circuit Judges (1)".
  35. (April 14, 2015). "Supreme Court Clerk Hiring Watch: Shout-Outs From Justice Kagan, And The Leading 'Feeder Firm'". abovethelaw.com.
  36. (August 2018). "@KannonShanmugan". twitter.com}}{{dead link.
  37. "Trump Taps Williams & Connolly's Sarah Harris As Acting SG - Law360".
  38. Howe, Amy. (2018-07-25). "Kavanaugh returns questionnaire".
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