Bondi’s brand new, a prominent white-collar defense attorney and brother of US attorney general Pam Bondi, suffered a resounding defeat in his bid to become president of the DC Bar, the mandatory bar association for over 120,000 legal professionals in Washington DC.Bondi, a partner at Paul Hastings LLP and co-chair of its investigations and white-collar defense practice, lost to employment attorney Diane Seltzer of The Seltzer Law Firm. The results, announced Monday by D.C. Bar CEO Robert Spagnoletti, marked a historic election with over 38,600 ballots cast, a dramatic increase from just 7,500 in the previous cycle. Seltzer won with more than 90% of the vote.
A well-known legal title in Washington-centric lines
According to Newsweek, Bondi’s brand new is well known in Washington legal circles for his work in securities enforcement and corporate investigations. He previously served as counsel to commissioners at the US Securities and Exchange Commission and has carved out a career defending high-profile clients in complex regulatory cases.But his deep connections to the Trump administration — particularly through his sister, Pam Bondi, who now serves as Attorney General under President Trump — fueled anxiety among many members of the legal community. That concern intensified earlier this year after Trump signed an executive order directing Pam Bondi to identify lawyers and law firms allegedly coaching clients to lie in immigration cases, with an eye toward disciplinary referrals.
The 23-member panel has an indirect but significant influence over the appointment of members of the screen that controls the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, which has a direct impact on how the rules of professional conduct are implemented, despite the president of the DC Bar having no direct authority over attorney discipline. Some attorneys saw Bondi’s election as a result of the administration’s efforts to regulate the legal career, which was made public soon after Trump’s executive order. On social media, critics expressed concern that his vote might stifle political interference in what is typically seen as a democratic expert system. Bondi refrained from making those claims, insisting that his plan was focused on the leadership of the bar and not politicians. However, the electors ‘ responses were important. Bondi acknowledged his battle in a statement following the election, but with a defiant voice. He said,” I stand with a heart full of love and a head big with concern for the future of the DC Bar,” “even though I did not succeed.” ” I am disgusted by how rabid supporters lurched this vote into the political drain, turning a professional plan into false problems, personality politics, and political blame,” said one candidate.
Seltzer: A voting for greater accountability
Diane Seltzer, now set to lead the DC Bar, ran a campaign cantered on transparency and integrity. Ahead of the vote, she responded to growing unease over Bondi’s candidacy by assuring members that if elected, she would maintain the bar’s independence.“These are people who care deeply about the rule of law and the integrity of our bar,” Seltzer said. “If I’m elected president, everything will be done properly and transparently.”With the legal community watching closely, the election results mark a powerful statement: Washington’s attorneys remain wary of any perceived political entanglements, even from well-connected names like Bondi’s brand new.
