Over in Georgetown, Carlton Fields Jorden Burt now has an office after the merger early this year of Tampa-based Carlton Fields and Jorden Burt. The 370-lawyer firm is headed by Carlton Fields CEO Gary Sasso, pictured, who joined the legacy firm in '87. It was six years ago that he first talked about the "great strategic fit" of the two firms with Jorden Burt's managing partner Jim Jorden, and had discussions on and off for the past couple years. Part of their vision, Gary says, is staying in their size range, despite receiving regular merger offers. DC is at the epicenter of the firm's national class-action defense practice and securities practice.

Other new offices: The 300-lawyer firm Lowenstein Sandler recently opened shop at 2200 Pennsylvania Ave. It'll start out with seven lawyers, four of whom are joining from Dickstein Shapiro. The other three are existing Lowenstein antitrust, commercial lit, and investment management partners relocating from NY and NJ: Jeff Blumenfeld, Miguel Pozo, and Matthew Magidson. The firm's planning to grow the DC office, especially its litigation practice.