Washington, D.C.’s so-called “revolving door” between government work and private practice has been spinning constantly this summer. Demand for lawyers with government experience is perhaps at an all-time high, with firms looking for people experienced in antitrust and securities enforcement, among other areas. In our cover story, reporter Bruce Love dives into how it’s not just attorneys in leadership positions that are being sought out, but the government’s line attorneys as well. The flurry of hiring activity comes amid expectations that the Biden administration will take a starkly different tone on legal issues than the Trump administration did.

In our second feature, Andrew Goudsward reports on how federal prosecutors are turning their attention to lenders, especially upstart fintech companies, as the government cracks down on fraud within the financial programs created during the pandemic. A key focus is whether lenders performed basic due diligence and compliance checks on applicants. Whitecollar lawyers, though, say lenders have some strong defenses, including that the government limited underwriting obligations in order to disburse loans quickly during the height of the pandemic.