Hogan Lovells' appoints Karl Racine, Former D.C. Attorney General as a Litigation partner

Hogan Lovells' appoints Karl Racine, Former D.C. Attorney General as a Litigation partner

The first elected and independent Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Karl A. Racine, has joined the large international law firm Hogan Lovells as a Litigation partner in the Washington office.

Miguel Zaldivar, CEO of Hogan Lovells, remarked, "I am very happy to welcome Karlto the company.Karl is regarded as one of the best lawyers nationwide, not just in Washington. He has been a national leader in a wide range of cutting-edge issues. It includes privacy, social media, AI, antitrust, competition, financial services, ESG, civil rights, consumer protection, labor and employment, food and drug safety, child safety, false claims, the environment and government investigations. He brings so much to the table.

"In a town chock full of outstanding lawyers, Karl stands apart—for his leadership, competitiveness, and team play, all in service to winning for clients," said Des Hogan, worldwide head of Hogan Lovells' Disputes practice. State AG offices are on the rise and frequently discussed in the boardrooms and C-Suite. Karl will start our State AG practice in addition to collaborating closely with our litigation and white collar teams throughout the globe. Our customers will be better able to handle possibilities as well as dangers to their business goals thanks to Karl's established credibility with other AGs and before several federal and state regulatory, enforcement and investigative organizations with whom he has collaborated effectively.

Racine, who was twice re-elected in landslide victories, spent the previous eight years creating the District of Columbia's first independent office of attorney general and advancing it to its present position as one of the top AG offices in the nation. Although Racine is well known around the country for his clever and audacious actions, he has also defended the District of Columbia government in court, saving taxpayers more than $3 billion.

According to Lillian S. Hardy, who is in charge of Hogan Lovells' Crisis Leadership Team, "In his two terms as D.C. Attorney General, Karl created what is largely regarded as one of the strongest and most active AG offices in the United States. We're thrilled to have him as a partner because he's a leader in our community."

With more than three decades of expertise, Racine has the experience in putting together winning legal teams and will represent clients in a variety of bet-the-company civil and white collar disputes and investigations. He has earlier represented clients at the highest level in civil, criminal, enforcement, and administrative disputes. He has also participated in several appeals. He will oversee the rebranded AG practice for the company, bringing resources and expertise from across practices and offices.

Racine stated, "I am humbled, proud and eager to join Hogan Lovells, where I started my legal career as a summer associate. I have always respected the business and its genuinely outstanding legal team. I've chosen to work at Hogan Lovells because of the firm's illustrious past, well-deserved reputation as a premier international law firm, and Miguel's strategic direction for the company. The greatest is yet to come, and I'm eager to contribute to bring it around."

Racine has gained respect and national recognition for his achievements and leadership. He was chosen by his fellow attorneys general to lead the partisan National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) in 2021. In that role, he introduced a pioneering program to fight hatred, foster harmony and defend humanity at a time when our nation was deeply divided. The Kelley-Wyman Award, the highest distinction given to an active Attorney General, was given to Racine and his staff in 2022 by NAAG. Racine also held the position of Co-Chair of the bipartisan Attorney General Alliance Association from 2017 to 2022. Racine served as the Democratic Attorneys General Association's co-chair from 2016 to 2020, a period during which the group saw electoral triumph, significantly increased diversity and record-breaking funding.

Racine had a very successful career in both private practice and government service prior to being elected to public office. After developing a renowned white collar and civil litigation practice, he became the first Black managing partner of a top 100 U.S. law firm. During the Clinton Administration, he also worked as an associate White House counsel. Earlier in his career, he was a D.C. public defender.

Racine has a long history of civic engagement in Washington, D.C. He has served on the boards of several non-profit institutions. It included the Legal Aid Society of Washington and the Network for Victim Recovery of D.C. (NVRDC). He moved to Washington, D.C. when he was three years old after being born in Haiti.

Racine received a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. from the University Of Virginia School Of Law.