Dorsey & Whitney announced Tuesday evening that it was ending its 40-plus-year relationship with the Minneapolis City Attorney’s Office, in a move that could prompt other law firms to reexamine their own partnerships with prosecutors.

Since 1978, litigation associates from Dorsey & Whitney have worked with the city attorney’s office to help prosecute misdemeanor cases. The firm sends about eight associates a year to the office for 14-week stints, according to managing partner Bill Stoeri.