I have just returned from my third, and final, working trip to the US in 2025. This time I decided to spend two full weeks in three cities – Boston, Washington DC and, of course, New York. Regular readers of our blogs and listeners to our Counsel Culture podcast know that we often look at the US legal market, which generally centres on New York, because the issues and trends there are so similar to what we are experiencing here in London.
What was interesting to me was just how different Boston and DC are to New York. A slight disclaimer, I was in Boston on holiday (sorry, ‘vacation’) but I did get a good feel for the city. It is small and walkable and really lovely on the eye, probably helped by the amazing weather I experienced. A particular highlight was watching the Boston Red Sox take on the Detroit Tigers in the final regular season ballgame at the world-famous Fenway Park. Getting under the skin of the city from a law firm perspective was interesting. Boston’s academic might, reflected in world famous universities such as Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (I had a lovely Sunday morning walking around both) has contributed to the city being a world class destination for IP and Life Sciences. A number of household name AmLaw firms have opened up in Boston in recent years, with the city experiencing the highest growth in partner headcount between 2020-2024 of any major American legal centre. The Boston Legal Market in Numbers is absolutely worth five minutes of your time if you want to dig a little deeper.
DC is a city that takes a while for the visitor to feel its rhythm. Unlike New York, which wears its heart on its sleeve, everything seems to be bubbling beneath the surface in the Capital. The effect of Trump, executive orders and the exodus of Government lawyers heading to private practice has really left its mark this year. The overwhelming feeling in the legal community is perhaps one of uncertainty. Local clients and contacts tell me that the city is defined by its transitory nature, which is interesting given the presence of The White House, the incredible monuments to former Presidents and all the Government buildings – some of which are frankly breathtakingly impressive. The feeling of history, stability and order permeated by the physical infrastructure feels in direct contrast to the mood music. I am enjoying getting to know DC, as we have started working with a number of new clients in the city.
I finished my trip with a working week in New York, seeing a mix of clients, referral PR agencies and some prospects. If anything, the interest in the London market and the dominance of US firms has intensified since my last visit in June. I spoke to three AmLaw firms in the lower reaches of the Top 100, who all wanted to grow their relatively small London office and to grow their profile here. Sadly, I haven’t got any merger news to break but I did hear from contacts that two or three heritage UK firms were absolutely in play for transatlantic tie-ups. Watch this space….
