Dickstein Shapiro

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Group.png Dickstein Shapiro  Rdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
Dickstein Shapiro logo.png
Formation1953
Extinction2016
HeadquartersWashington DC
SloganExperience Dickstein Shapiro
Membership• Pete Hoekstra
• Scott E. Thomas
• Charles Colson
• Dennis Hastert
• James R. Jones
• Lewis Libby
Law firm identified as implicated in corruption by Sibel Edmonds.

Dickstein Shapiro LLP (formerly Dickstein, Shapiro, Morin & Oshinsky[1]) was a large U.S. law firm and lobbying group based in Washington, D.C., with five offices across the United States.

The group has been identified as implicated in corruption by Sibel Edmonds.[2] The firm closed in 2016 after the name became too tainted.

Practice areas

The firm was divided into six practice groups, each of which handle various aspects of their respective specialties: Complex Dispute resolution, Corporate & Finance, Government Law & Strategy (includes lobbying, political law, regulatory law and government contracts), Insurance coverage, Intellectual property, and Litigation.

History

Dickstein Shapiro was founded by Sidney Dickstein and David I. Shapiro in New York City in 1953. By 1956, the firm moved its headquarters to Washington, DC.[3] The firm quickly established its reputation by winning several high-profile cases.

Dickstein Shapiro hired former Republican Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert as a lobbyist shortly after he resigned his seat in Congress. Hastert was later indicted in May 2015 on charges of illegally withdrawing money from banks to pay hush money to an individual that he committed misconduct against years ago. Hastert resigned his lobbyist position the day the indictment was unsealed. Hastert's biography was quickly removed from the firm's website, and the firm also purged all mentions of Hastert from its previously posted press releases.[4]

Hastert's resignation from Dickstein Shapiro following the indictment against him left the law firm and lobbying firm "reeling," according to news reports.[4] The firm's lobbying business had already been struggling; it was reported that the firm had billed $130,000 on behalf of eight clients for the first quarter of 2015, "not close to being on track for its overall 2014 billings, when it brought in $3.7 million for the year."[4]

In the few years preceding the indictment, Dickstein Shapiro had already "faced an exodus of ... talent" to rival firms Greenberg Traurig and Cozen O'Connor, as well as "the loss of major client contracts" including Lorillard Tobacco Co., Peabody Energy Corp., Bayer Corp., and Covanta Energy Corp.[4] Following the Hastert indictment, it was reported that Dickstein Shapiro's biggest domestic client, Fuels America, terminated its lobbying contract with the firm.[4]

In February 2016, it was announced that the firm would discontinue operation and that Blank Rome would hire approximately 100 of its lawyers.[5]

Notable lawyers and employees

Notable alumni


 

Known members

5 of the 6 of the members already have pages here:

MemberDescription
Chuck ColsonIndicted for conspiring to cover up the Watergate burglaries
Dennis HastertThe longest serving republican speaker of the house.
Peter Hoekstra
James R. JonesUS Deep state connected diplomat
Scooter Libby
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References