Agency defendants drag venue to the District constantly — APA suits, mandamus, subpoena enforcement, protests. The question isn't whether you can learn a new courthouse; it's whether the case budget wants you to.
Local counsel from a full-service firm arrives with conflict checks that take a week and rates that assume your client is theirs next year. A federal litigation practice that does this — agency cases, in this courthouse — conflicts rarely, moves same-day, and has no cross-sell agenda. The referral guides cover the ethics mechanics.
For most agency litigation, not at all — PHV plus active local counsel is the standard architecture, and judges see it daily. The problem cases are the ones that treat local counsel as a mail drop.
Yes, scoped in writing — with the one caveat the job description guide explains: the court holds local counsel responsible for more than mechanics, so 'minimal' still means engaged.
Coverage is part of the scope conversation — appearances, conferences, and the emergency where your flight cancels. That last one is why the relationship beats a one-off.