Steptoe & Johnson LLP said Monday that it has formally changed its legal name to Steptoe LLP, in an effort to further distinguish the Washington, D.C., firm from West Virginia-based Steptoe & Johnson PLLC.

The two firms have operated with the same name for decades since their predecessor firm, Steptoe & Johnson, founded in 1913, first split into two firms, one in D.C. and one in West Virginia, in 1980, both of which have expanded their physical footprint and lawyer count over the years.