NAFUSA member and former Attorney General of the United Staes Dick Thornburgh announced his retirement from K&L Gates. Thornburgh began his legal career as an associate with K&L Gates in 1959, going on to hold multiple key roles in the firm’s Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., and Boston offices at various times in the following decades.

Thornburgh spent a decade with K&L Gates prior to his successful 25-year career in government, leaving the firm in 1969 to serve as a United States Attorney and later, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. He was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 1978 and again in 1982, during which time he presided over the response to the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island, one that is still studied today as a model of crisis management. Thornburgh went on to serve as United States Attorney General under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. As Attorney General, Thornburgh played a leading role in the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He subsequently served as Under Secretary General at the United Nations, and returned to K&L Gates in 1994, remaining with the firm until his retirement.

James Segerdahl, K&L Gates’ Global Managing Partner, commented: “It has been a great and humbling honor to be associated with Dick. Our firm, the Commonwealth, the Nation, and the world have all been beneficiaries of Dick’s high standards, unwavering integrity, and outstanding public service. When not serving in his many and esteemed public roles, we were privileged that Dick spent his time in private practice with only one firm, K&L Gates. Dick has made many outstanding contributions to our firm and clients; we thank him for those as well as his remarkable work as a public servant, and wish Dick all the best in his retirement.”

Thornburgh has received honorary degrees from 32 colleges and universities. For his dedication and contributions to the legal profession, Thornburgh received a “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2006 from The American Lawyer magazine. He was similarly honored in 2013 by The Legal Intelligencer as being among those who “represent the best the Pennsylvania legal community has to offer” and has been recognized by Washingtonian magazine as one of “ten legendary Washington lawyers who will forever leave their mark on the District’s legal landscape.”

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On March 14, 2019, the United States Senate confirmed  NAFUSA member Don Washington to be the director of the United States Marshals Service. Washington served as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana (2001-2010). He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with a degree in mechanical engineering and served as an Army captain of the Air Defense Artillery and in the Army Reserve from 1983 to 1987. He has a law degree from South Texas College in Houston. He was sworn in late this week and, unfortunately, his new duties required him to tender his resignation as the treasurer of NAFUSA. The NAFUSA board will select his successor next week at the board’s Spring Board Meeting in Naples, Florida.

NAFUSA member Wifredo A. “Willy” Ferrer has been named executive partner of Holland & Knight’s Miami office. Ferrer will oversee the day-to-day management of the office, while continuing his white collar defense, corporate compliance, and internal investigations practice. Holland & Knight’s Miami office is one of the firm’s largest, with 260 attorneys and staff.

Ferrer served as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida for nearly seven years. His distinguished career also includes working as Deputy Chief of Staff and Counsel to former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. He joined Holland & Knight in 2017, and he leads the firm’s Global Compliance and Investigations Team.

Steven Sonberg, managing partner of Holland & Knight said, “While serving as the U.S. Attorney, Willy led a department of nearly 500 lawyers and staff. Since joining Holland & Knight, he has earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues and inspires the best in everyone. I’m confident he will accomplish great things for the office and the firm.”

“Holland & Knight is filled with superb lawyers and wonderful staff who work hard to provide excellent representation to our clients and many hours of dedicated service to our community,” said Ferrer. “My commitment is to continue to build on the great work that others have done over the years to ensure our office continues to be defined by excellence, collegiality, and teamwork.”

About Holland & Knight LLP:  Holland & Knight is a global law firm with more than 1,300 lawyers and other professionals in 28 offices throughout the world. Its lawyers provide representation in litigation, business, real estate and governmental law. Interdisciplinary practice groups and industry-based teams provide clients with access to attorneys throughout the firm, regardless of location.

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NAFUSA member and United States Senator Doug Jones has published a book on the September 15, 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Four young girls were murdered and twenty-two others injured. Then US Attorney Doug Jones tried and convicted the final two suspects in 2001 and 2002.

The book “Bending Toward Justice” was published this month and is receiving significant praise.

NAFUSA member William “Bill” Killian (ED Tennessee 2010-2015), has authored a new book, “Won’t Back Down: The Journey from Small Town Tennessee to Presidentially Appointed United States Attorney.” In a compilation of legal anecdotes, Bill shares the experiences, cases, and instances of injustice that defined his career as a trial lawyer and his path to becoming a United States Attorney.

Prior to his work as U.S. Attorney, Killian was a sole practitioner in his law firm in Jasper, Tenn., was city attorney for the city of Monteagle, Tenn. for 21 years and was the assistant district attorney for the Twelfth Judicial District in Tennessee. Throughout his professional career, Killian has held various teaching positions with colleges and universities in east Tennessee and the University of Tennessee College of Law. He served in the United States Army and the Tennessee National Guard from December 1970 to January 1973.

Killian earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee School of Law in 1973 after completing his B.S. from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He is a former member of the Tennessee Bar Association House of Delegates and the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross Chattanooga Chapter.

NAFUSA Immediate Past President Hal Hardin received two honors in his home state of Tennessee.

On November 7, 2018, at the Tennessee Supreme Court Historical Society’s annual banquet in Memphis, Tennessee, Hal was presented a leadership plaque for his service as past president of the society.

On December 5, 2018, at the National Bar Association’s Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, Hal was presented with the John C. Tune Public Service Award, an accolade given to a member who “makes outstanding contributions to the greater Nashville area community while distinguishing themselves as practicing attorneys.”  The award is the highest award which can be bestowed upon a member by the Bar.

This morning Ron Woods, NAFUSA Executive Director Emeritus, sent this email to his fellow Bush 41 appointees, resulting in some fine photos with the President:

To Bush 41 U.S. Attorneys

   I hope you were able to watch the two funerals/celebrations of life that were televised over the past two days in Washington and Houston. The military arranged the funerals and they were spectacular, with a flight overhead of 21 Navy jets as President Bush arrived at his final resting place at his Presidential Library at Texas A & M.

  The celebrations showing his accomplishments and how respected and admired he was made me feel very proud that I was appointed by President Bush and I hope you felt the same. President Bush was finally recognized for the many achievements he obtained in his one term Presidency.  Bush was a remarkable human being devoted to public service, honor, duty, country. He was such a gentleman to everyone.

  Several months ago, our Houston Chapter of Former FBI Agents was having our monthly lunch in a private room in a local restaurant. During the lunch, the door was opened and James Baker pushed President Bush into the room in his wheelchair. There were about 30 of us in the room and James Baker said “I’m James Baker and I used to be Secretary of State and President Bush wanted to say a few words to you”

   President Bush said that he was having lunch in the restaurant and the manager advised him that ex FBI Agents were having lunch in the private room. He stated I don’t want to interrupt your lunch but I wanted to express my thanks for your public service and how much I admire the FBI and the men and women who serve in the FBI. He was such a class act.

  The news as I write this is that our friend and colleague  Former Attorney General Bill Barr is the front runner to be named Attorney General.  Further proof of the soundness of President Bush appointees.

   The photo below was taken at the 1992 Republican Convention in Houston as I was coordinating with the Secret Service on security issues.

Ron Woods