Brad Bondi, 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 known legal name in Washington circles
According to Newsweek, Brad Bondi 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.
While the DC Bar president has no direct power over attorney discipline, the 23-member board does influence appointments to the panel that oversees the Office of Disciplinary Counsel — an indirect but meaningful role in shaping how the rules of professional conduct are enforced.Bondi’s candidacy, announced shortly after Trump’s executive order, was seen by some attorneys as an extension of the administration’s efforts to police the legal profession. Critics warned on social media that his election could bring political interference into what is traditionally viewed as a nonpartisan professional body.Bondi pushed back on those claims, insisting his campaign was focused on the bar’s governance and not politics. Still, the response from voters was decisive.In a statement after the election, Bondi acknowledged defeat but struck a defiant tone.“Although I did not prevail, I stand with a heart full of gratitude and a mind heavy with concern for the future of the DC Bar,” he said. “I am disgusted by how rabid partisans lurched this election into the political gutter, turning a professional campaign into baseless attacks, identity politics, and partisan recrimination.”
Seltzer: A vote for transparency
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 Brad Bondi.