King & Spalding announced that NAFUSA member Paul Murphy, who most recently served as Chief of Staff to FBI Director Chris Wray, has rejoined the firm as a partner on the Special Matters and Government Investigations team. King & Spalding now has eight former United States Attorneys with Murphy joining John Richter, Zach Fardon, Craig Carpenito, Rod Rosenstein, John Horn, Sally Yates and Jim Vines.

Murphy, who is based in the Atlanta and the Washington, D.C. offices, was a King & Spalding partner from 2004 to 2019, when he took his position with the FBI. At the firm, he counseled clients in a wide array of industries and helped them navigate their most sensitive legal challenges, including white-collar criminal defense matters, civil investigations, internal corporate investigations and corporate compliance reviews. He also represented clients in litigation under federal and state False Claims Acts, as well as in other civil fraud matters.

“We are thrilled to have Paul back on our team,” said Zach Fardon, chair of King & Spalding’s Government Matters practice group, of which the Special Matters and Government Investigations team is a part. “Paul has long been recognized by clients as a great lawyer, counselor and strategist. His FBI experience will be a further boon to our Special Matters and investigations clients, and will add strength to other practices such as our National Security team.”

During his FBI tenure, Murphy worked on a daily basis with Director Wray on all issues before the agency, including white collar enforcement issues regularly facing private sector clients. Murphy has previously held several roles with the Department of Justice, including as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Paul also served as an Associate Deputy Attorney General and later as the Chief of Staff to then-Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson. He started at King & Spalding as an associate in 1988 and had become a partner by the time he started his first position at the DOJ.

Murphy has been recognized as a leading white-collar criminal defense attorney by several publications, including Best Lawyers and Chambers USA. He earned his JD, magna cum laude, from the University of Georgia and received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University, also magna cum laude.

“I’m so fortunate to have had a front-row seat to see King & Spalding’s growth over many years, and I’ve always been impressed by its world-class investigations practice and supportive, truly collaborative environment,” Murphy said. “The firm’s remarkable growth has continued during my service at the FBI, and I am excited to be rejoining my top-notch colleagues here to represent our clients and come up with solutions to their most pressing legal needs.”