The Washingtonian regularly publishes its list of the city’s best lawyers. The National Law Journal now has come out with its list of the nation’s 100 most influential lawyers, with 28 hailing from Washington—a high number given that only 20 New Yorkers made it.
The DC denizens include familiar power players: Robert Barnett and Brendan Sullivan of Williams & Connolly; Robert Bennett of Skadden Arps; Richard Wiley of Wiley Rein & Fielding; Thomas Hale Boggs Jr. of Patton Boggs.
But it also contained some surprises, notably Kimberley Moore, a 37-year-old patent-law professor at George Mason’s law school, and Charles Swift, a military lawyer in Arlington.
The list ruffled the feathers of a few Washington practitioners left off. One noted that it was interesting that Swift got named but powerful Solicitor General Paul Clement did not.
Securities and Exchange Commission expert Deborah Garza of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson made the cut, but the list left off two of the world’s most sought-after corporate attorneys: Ralph Ferrara and William McLucas.
“Influence” can be measured in many ways, but how can you ignore a lawyer who speaks out every night on Fox News to nearly a million viewers, especially when most Washington lawyers are fighting for a sound bite whenever they can get it?
Nonetheless, television lawyer Greta Van Susteren’s name did not make NLJ’s list. Selection-committee members must be CNN fans.
