Squire Patton Boggs is preparing to switch managing partners in the largest of its 44 offices.

In DC, Michael Curto takes on the managing partner role effective Jan. 1. An employee benefits law expert, he's advised businesses in the retirement and healthcare industries for more than 30 years. He's a past Chairman of the Board of both the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and the Dulles Corridor Advisory Committee. SPB is second in the country in lobbying income this year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Current Squire Patton Boggs DC co-managing partner John Burlingame has been named co-head of the firm's global litigation department. He takes over the position from John Gall (who'll step down in March), and he'll serve alongside current co-chair Mitchell Berger. We snapped John, a longtime trial lawyer, earlier this year, when touring the renovated office.

Squire Patton Boggs chairman and global CEO Mark Ruehlmann, second from right at last year's holiday party (the first for the combined firms of Squire Sanders and Patton Boggs), calls the DC office "an increasingly important center of activity within our global network." Retired Major General Michael Nardotti, right, co-chaired the DC office with John; he is stepping down and Michael Curto will be the sole DC managing partner.