Berliner Corcoran & Rowe LLP is a Washington, D.C. based boutique law firm providing strategic legal counsel to businesses, governments, nonprofit organizations, and individuals in the United States and around the world. Our attorneys advise clients on high-stakes regulatory matters including economic sanctions and export controls, complex litigation and white-collar criminal defense matters, cross-border transactions, and other significant legal challenges requiring deep experience and strategic judgment.
For more than eighty years, clients have turned to BCR for practical, thoughtful legal advice delivered with the personal attention and efficiency of a boutique practice. Nearly all of our attorneys have practiced for more than a decade, enabling us to staff matters leanly while providing clients direct access to experienced lawyers. Our attorneys and practice groups are consistently recognized by leading legal directories, including Chambers and Partners, for excellence in their fields.
Our Heritage
BCR traces its roots to 1941 and assumed its current form in 1990 through the merger of two distinguished Washington law firms. The firm’s name honors three prominent Washington lawyers – Hank Berliner, Thomas Corcoran, and James Rowe – whose influence helped shape both the firm’s identity and the broader legal landscape.
Thomas G. Corcoran was one of the principal architects of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. After clerking for Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Corcoran joined Benjamin Cohen in drafting landmark federal legislation, including the Securities Exchange Act, the Public Utility Holding Company Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Known in Washington as one of Roosevelt’s “Gold Dust Twins,” Corcoran helped establish the modern framework of federal economic regulation before entering private practice, where he became one of the nation’s most respected advocates and counselors.
James H. Rowe, Jr. served in senior positions in the Roosevelt Administration before joining Corcoran in private practice. Together, they built a practice that became synonymous with sophisticated advocacy, sound judgment, and trusted counsel on matters of national significance.
The Berliner branch of the firm reflects the legacy of Hank Berliner, Jr. – lawyer, businessman, banker, and civic leader. Berliner served as Chairman of the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation and on the District of Columbia Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure, where he became widely respected as a trusted adviser to public officials, business leaders, and members of the legal profession. His commitment to integrity, public service, and practical problem-solving continues to shape the firm’s
culture today.
What Distinguishes Us
The principles that guided the firm’s founders continue to define BCR today: intellectual rigor, practical judgment, responsiveness, and an ability to navigate complex legal issues in an evolving regulatory and business environment. While our practice has expanded to serve clients across a broad range of industries and jurisdictions, our commitment remains the same – to provide sophisticated legal counsel tailored to each client’s objectives.
Today, BCR represents clients ranging from entrepreneurial startups to multinational corporations, sovereign governments, nonprofit organizations, and high-net-worth individuals. Whether advising on regulatory compliance, commercial disputes, white-collar criminal matters, international transactions, or emerging legal issues, we remain committed to delivering the thoughtful, strategic representation that has defined the firm for more than eight decades.