A law firm that moved into its first D.C. office four years ago has signed a lease for a big expansion a mile away.

Honigman inked a 23K SF trophy office lease at 1999 K St. NW, Savills’ and CBRE’s second-quarter office reports for the city show.

That lease nearly doubles the square footage the firm occupies at the 1920s-era 1440 New York Ave. NW, where it has 12K SF, a spokesperson for the Detroit-based firm confirmed.

The move is part of a trend of law firms driving leasing activity and new development in the nation's capital. During the first half of 2026, law firms accounted for 33% of all leasing activity, surpassing any other sector, according to CBRE's report.

Honigman moved into its current building, which sits next to the Treasury Department, in 2022, its first footprint in the city after launching virtually during the pandemic.

“Since launching our DC office in late 2020, our team has experienced significant growth, and this new office provides the space needed to support our continued expansion,” Honigman Office Managing Partner Harold Fox said in a statement emailed to Bisnow.

“The move underscores our long-term commitment to strategic growth in the region and enhances our ability to serve clients and partners,” he said.

The firm's new office at 1999 K is owned by Deka Immobilien GmbH and anchored by law firm Mayer Brown. The German investment manager purchased the 285K SF property in 2009 for $207.8M.

Deka Immobilien GmbH and Honigman's current landlord, MEAG, which is the asset manager for Munich Re, declined Bisnow’s requests for comment.

JLL’s Evan Behr, Thomas Myers, Mackey Merrill and Jeanette Ko represented the landlord, a spokesperson for the team told Bisnow. 1999 K has 22K SF of availability on the seventh floor.

Lack of trophy availability in the city, specifically for larger blocks, is causing law firms to kick off new construction and massive overhauls to create the space the occupiers need while the supply-demand imbalance pushes rents into uncharted territory.

While CBRE pegs D.C.’s vacancy rate at 22.1%, trophy vacancy sits at  9.3%. Meanwhile, the average trophy rent for the quarter surpassed $100 per SF for the first time in the city. Overall asking rents were at about $60 per SF.

D.C. saw positive absorption during the quarter, CBRE’s report shows, with tenants leasing a net 65K SF of vacant space.