July 2025 Insights: Law Firms Accelerate Hiring of Government Attorneys
Law firms saw a record-breaking influx of attorneys from government agencies in July 2025, continuing a four-year growth trend. This year’s spike appears tied not only to ongoing downsizing within federal agencies but also to firms making opportunistic hires of well-credentialed former government lawyers. The addition of this talent is strengthening firm capabilities in regulatory compliance, investigations, antitrust, and enforcement defense.
Record-Breaking Growth in July 2025
The chart below illustrates a dramatic jump in government-to-law-firm hires.
From July 2024 to July 2025, the number of attorneys moving from government roles to private practice nearly tripled — climbing from 43 hires last year to 122 hires this July:
This growth underscores the intensifying competition for attorneys with insider expertise on regulatory and enforcement matters.
Top Government Sources of Private Practice Moves – July
In July, several government agencies accounted for the largest share of attorney transitions into private practice:
- U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
- U.S. Attorney’s Office
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS)
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
These moves appear to be driven in part by the current administration’s downsizing of federal agencies, which has prompted a wave of departures. At the same time, law firms are making opportunistic hires of highly credentialed attorneys from these agencies, recognizing the value they bring in navigating complex regulatory and enforcement matters.
Leading Firms Hiring Former Government Attorneys
Among the law firms most active in July 2025:
- Greenberg Traurig
- Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith
- Littler Mendelson
- Covington & Burling
- Latham & Watkins
These firms are strategically investing in government talent to expand their capabilities in enforcement defense, regulatory investigations, antitrust, healthcare, and compliance matters.
