Top BigLaw Firms for Government Regulatory / Public Policy
Advising clients on rules, agency proceedings and legislative issues, often with a Washington focus. Research and writing for regulators is central. Chambers USA 2026 ranks 40 firms in our directory nationwide for government regulatory, 17 of them in Band 1. Pick a city for the local tables.
- Ranked nationwide
- 40
- Cities with 3+ ranked firms
- 1
Government Regulatory / Public Policy by city
- Government Regulatory / Public Policy in Washington, DC21 ranked firms
Ranked nationwide, Chambers USA 2026
- 1.Hogan Lovells CadwaladerFirst-year base $225,000+Band 1 · Space; Band 1 · State Attorneys General
- 2.Cozen O'Connor P.C.First-year base $180,000 - $215,000Band 1 · State Attorneys General; Band 1 · Transportation: Aviation: Regulatory
- 3.Covington & Burling LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 1 · Government Relations: Congressional Investigations; Band 1 · Political Law
- 4.Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 1 · Government Relations: Federal; Band 2 · Government Relations: Congressional Investigations
- 5.Holland & Knight LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 1 · Transportation: NTSB Specialists; Band 2 · Government Relations: Federal
- 6.Dentons US LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 1 · Government Relations: State & Local; Band 2 · Government Relations: Federal
- 7.K&L Gates LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 1 · Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Regulatory; Band 2 · Government Relations: Federal
- 8.King & Spalding LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 1 · Government Relations: Congressional Investigations; Band 3 · Government Relations: Federal
- 9.Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 1 · Political Law
- 10.Kirkland & Ellis LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 1 · Government Relations: Congressional Investigations
- 11.Milbank LLPFirst-year base $235,000+Band 1 · Space
- 12.Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 1 · Government Relations: Congressional Investigations
- 13.Winston Taylor LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 1 · Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Regulatory
- 14.Troutman Pepper Locke LLPFirst-year base $235,000+Band 1 · State Attorneys General
- 15.Fox Rothschild LLPFirst-year base $205,000Band 1 · Transportation: NTSB Specialists
- 16.Blank Rome LLPFirst-year base $210,000Band 1 · Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Regulatory
- 17.Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLPBand 1 · Transportation: NTSB Specialists
- 18.Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 2 · Government Relations: Congressional Investigations; Band 2 · Government Relations: Federal
- 19.Cooley LLPFirst-year base $255,000+Band 2 · Government Relations: Congressional Investigations; Band 2 · Space
- 20.Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 2 · Transportation: Aviation: Regulatory; Band 3 · Government Relations: Federal
- 21.Venable LLPFirst-year base $215,000Band 2 · Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Regulatory; Band 3 · Political Law
- 22.Steptoe LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 2 · Political Law; Band 3 · Government Relations: Federal
- 23.Latham & Watkins LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 2 · Government Relations: Congressional Investigations
- 24.Ashurst Perkins Coie LLPFirst-year base $255,000+Band 2 · Political Law
- 25.Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 2 · Government Relations: Federal
- 26.Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 2 · State Attorneys General
- 27.Jenner & Block LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 2 · Government Relations: Congressional Investigations
- 28.Greenberg Traurig, LLPFirst-year base Varies by officeBand 2 · Space
- 29.ArentFox Schiff LLPFirst-year base $215,000Band 2 · Government Relations: State & Local
- 30.Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLPBand 2 · Government Relations: State & Local
- 31.DLA Piper LLP (US)First-year base $225,000+Band 3 · Government Relations: Federal; Band 3 · State Attorneys General
- 32.O'Melveny & Myers LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 3 · State Attorneys General
- 33.Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 3 · Transportation: Aviation: Regulatory
- 34.Alston & Bird LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 3 · Government Relations: Federal
- 35.Baker & Hostetler LLPFirst-year base $215,000Band 3 · Political Law
- 36.Crowell & Moring LLPFirst-year base $215,000Band 3 · Transportation: Aviation: Regulatory
- 37.Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLPFirst-year base $200,000Band 3 · Government Relations: Federal
- 38.Jones DayFirst-year base $240,000Band 4 · Political Law
- 39.Mayer Brown LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 4 · Political Law
- 40.Ballard Spahr LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 4 · Political Law
Is government regulatory a fit?
Who tends to thrive
- People interested in government and policy
- Writers who can persuade agencies
- Those who like rules and process
What a 1L can do this year
- Take Administrative Law and Legislation
- Follow a rulemaking in an area you care about
- Consider a government externship
Other practices
- Antitrust
- Appellate Litigation
- Banking & Finance
- Capital Markets / Securities
- Commercial Litigation
- Corporate / M&A
- Energy / Infrastructure
- Entertainment / Media / Sports
- Environmental
- Healthcare
- Insurance / Reinsurance
- Intellectual Property (General / Trademark)
- Intellectual Property (Patent)
- International Arbitration
- Labor & Employment
- Life Sciences / FDA
- National Security / CFIUS
- Privacy / Data Security
- Private Equity
- Project Finance
- Real Estate
- Restructuring / Bankruptcy
- Tax
- Technology Transactions
- White Collar Defense
- Securities Litigation
- Product Liability & Mass Torts
- Investment Funds
- Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
- Public Finance
- Financial Services Regulation
- International Trade
- Government Contracts
- Immigration
- Construction