Amid a U.S. presidential election 12 months, lateral hiring in Washington, D.C., has been dominated by a gradual movement of presidency attorneys transitioning to regulation companies’ antitrust, white-collar protection, public coverage, and litigation practices this previous 12 months.
Whereas there was a continuing stream of agency hiring from the federal authorities all year long, strikes from the Justice Division accelerated within the first 9 months of this 12 months in contrast with the final 12 months, in line with lateral transfer figures.
The variety of authorities attorneys on the job market picked up coming into the second half of the 12 months, even earlier than election outcomes have been in, in line with a number of recruiters.
“It was already an outpouring. One of many largest ones I’ve ever seen, most likely the largest. It began larger and sooner than at any time earlier than, and it is solely accelerated,” Jeffrey Lowe, a senior managing companion at CenterPeak, mentioned in a November interview.
It got here amid upheaval within the presidential race, beginning with particular counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into President Joe Biden’s dealing with of categorized recordsdata, and months later, Biden dropping out of the race, adopted by Vice President Kamala Harris turning into the Democratic nominee.
Shifting into 2025, space recruiters point out they anticipate a flurry of presidency hires, notably after the beginning of the New 12 months, as numerous Biden administration officers transition out of the federal government. Nevertheless, whether or not regulation companies have house to rent these attorneys, stays to be seen.
Here is a have a look at a few of the most notable Large Legislation hires with authorities backgrounds in 2024:
- Robert Hur, who served as particular counsel with the DOJ, joined King & Spalding as a companion within the agency’s particular issues & authorities investigations apply in September.
- Gurbir Grewal, former director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, joined Milbank’s litigation and arbitration group as a companion in October.
- Mark Seidman, former head of the Federal Commerce Fee’s Mergers IV Division, joined Weil, Gotshal & Manges as an antitrust companion in September.
- Stuart Delery, former White Home Counsel for President Joe Biden, joined Gibson Dunn & Crutcher as a companion and co-chair of the disaster administration apply group and administrative regulation and regulatory apply group in February.
- Jude Volek, who most lately served as particular assistant and senior affiliate counsel to President Joe Biden within the White Home Counsel’s Workplace, joined Latham & Watkins as counsel within the agency’s white-collar protection and investigations apply in January.
- Gerald Moody, former assistant chief of the Overseas Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) unit within the DOJ Felony Division’s fraud part, joined Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld’s white-collar protection and authorities investigations apply as a companion in July.
- Mark Esper, former Trump administration Protection Secretary, joined Squire Patton Boggs as a senior advisor in its nationwide safety apply in September.
- Arun G. Rao, former deputy assistant Legal professional Common within the DOJ’s Civil Division, joined Mayer Brown as a companion in its world investigations & white collar protection apply in September.
- Sonali Patel, former assistant chief of the Overseas Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) Unit of the DOJ, joined Mayer Brown in September.
- James Fredricks, beforehand chief of the Washington Felony II Part of the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, joined Skadden as a companion in its antitrust and competitors apply group.
- Mark Grundvig, who most lately served as assistant chief within the Washington prison II part of the DOJ’s antitrust division, joined Foley & Lardner in its antitrust and competitors apply as a companion in April.
- James Weingarten, who most lately served as first chair trial counsel representing the Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) in federal court docket and administrative proceedings difficult anticompetitive mergers and conduct, joined Milbank as a companion in its antitrust and competitors group in June.
- Former Assistant U.S. Legal professional Alexis Loeb, joined Farella Braun + Martel as a companion in its white-collar protection, inside company investigations and enterprise litigation teams in November.
