Big Law's Government Hire Surge Under Trump Tests Profit Pools
A new Bloomberg Law article by Justin Henry examines the significant surge in Big Law hiring of federal government attorneys over the past year — and what it means for firm profitability, strategy, and the candidates caught in the middle of a fast-moving market.
The piece draws on data from hiring intelligence company Firm Prospects, which found that the country's 200 largest law firms hired more than 1,100 attorneys from federal agencies and the White House last year — more than double the number from the year prior. Trump's reductions in the federal workforce, alongside voluntary exits from career lawyers, drove much of the activity. The article explores whether firms can sustain the financial weight of onboarding so many lawyers who arrive without existing client books.
Macrae's Washington, DC Managing Partner Lauren Drake features in the piece, offering insight into which firms moved most decisively and how the market shifted across the year.
Lauren identifies two distinct categories among the most aggressive hirers: firms with prominent government-facing practices, and the most profitable firms in the market. She notes that while the early part of 2025 saw intense competition for government talent, by September many firms had reached their limits — a shift that had real consequences for candidates still in the pipeline.
"That left some candidates out in the cold, unfortunately," Lauren said. "The firms were savvy. I don't think any single firm overextended itself."
The article also features perspectives from Holland & Knight's Robert Friedman, Firm Prospects president Adam Oliver, and Thomas Windom — a former federal prosecutor who found the post-government job market more challenging than expected.