Clients are always looking for lawyers capable of efficiently and effectively addressing their needs. In the past, certain clients and industries were heavily regulated and routinely relied upon lawyers and law firms familiar with the regulatory agencies controlling their businesses, as well as the elected officials to whom those agencies reported. This regulatory work became a staple of the large Washington law firms whose clients interacted with a variety of alphabet agencies including the FTC, ICC, etc.
Over time, the increasingly regulated environment at the state level resulted in regional and local law firms utilizing their contacts and skills to assist clients in the state capital. It was inevitable that law firms would also want to focus on assisting clients at the municipal level, especially where the stakes are high. The most common example of this is in the zoning and land use area, where lawyers need familiarity with the local process and the players in order to successfully secure approvals for large and complex redevelopment projects.
