NEW … END OF AN ERA … BOB BAUER, long-time top Democratic political law expert, is leaving Perkins Coie. He has been with the law firm for more than 35 years. The former White House Counsel to President Barack Obama plans to do more teaching at the New York University School of Law and continue his writing and speaking about constitutional law, legal ethics and political reform. He will still continue to represent a number of clients as a solo practitioner and will co-counsel with Perkins Coie for some of those clients.