On June 7, 2017, President Trump announced through a tweet that he was nominating NAFUSA life member Christopher A. Wray to be the FBI Director. Wray served as the assistant attorney general in charge of the Criminal Division at the Department of Justice from 2003 to 2005. He also served as the principal associate deputy attorney general (2001-2003) and as an assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Georgia (1997-2001).
Wray is currently a partner at King & Spalding LLP in Washington. He earned his J.D. at Yale Law School.
NAFUSA member Steve Dettelbach announced on May 30, 2017, that he is running for Attorney General of the State of Ohio. Dettelbach served as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio 2009-2016, and rejoined BakerHostetler in February, 2016, as a partner in the Litigation Group and co-leader of the firm’s national White Collar and Corporate Investigations team.
In his previous government service Dettelbach served for 12 years as a federal prosecutor at the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, U.S. Attorneys Offices in Maryland, Washington, D.C. and the Northern District of Ohio as a member of the Organized Crime and Corruption Strike Force, receiving numerous awards including Prosecutor of the Year by the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators, special achievement awards during his tenure at the Department of Justice, and personal commendations from the U.S. Attorney General and the Director of the FBI.
Dettelbach earned his J.D. in 1991 from Harvard Law School, magna cum laude, where he served as Senior Notes Editor of the Harvard Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Law Review. He graduated summa cum laude with his A.B. in Government from Dartmouth College in 1988 and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Barnes & Thornburg LLP, announced on May 5, 2017, that it had added former U.S. Attorney Patrick Miles Jr. to its Grand Rapids office, where he will focus his practice on corporate compliance, investigations, monitorships and business transactions. Barnes & Thornburg is the largest law firm with a Grand Rapids office and one of only two AmLaw100 law firms in Michigan. Miles is also one of NAFUSA’s newest members.
Miles was the first black U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan and served from 2012 to 2017, by appointment of President Barack Obama. In this role, Miles combated gang violence, child exploitation, financial fraud and organized crime, including racketeering, firearm and drug distribution, among other civil and criminal matters. He also focused on improving community relations with law enforcement, aiding former prisoners with reentry, and assisting veterans with employment opportunities.
Miles is the third former U.S. Attorney to join Barnes & Thornburg in the past two years. They each practice as part of the firm’s white collar and investigations team.
Miles is a Grand Rapids native and is actively involved in the business community and civic affairs. Miles worked in private law practice for more than 20 years before holding public office, and he also ran as the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s Third District Congressional seat in 2010. Prior to his confirmation as U.S. Attorney by the Senate, he served more than two dozen charitable and professional boards and committees and presided over the Grand Rapids Bar Association as its elected president from 2004 to 2005.
“As a homegrown talent, Pat is a preeminent legal professional who is invested and prideful in the types of clients and matters he represents,” said Robert Sikkel, managing partner of the Grand Rapids office. “With a track record in this market that is second to none, Pat is capable of making immense business and civic contributions, and his decision to continue his legal career at Barnes & Thornburg is a testament to the work we’re doing in Western Michigan and throughout the country.”
Miles’ career and accomplishments have been recognized by numerous organizations, including the State Bar of Michigan, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, West Michigan United Way, Grand Rapids chapter of the NAACP, Grand Rapids and Michigan Jaycees, as well as several local and regional business publications.
“I’m delighted to join Barnes & Thornburg, which has the size, scope and collaborative culture that fosters excellence in legal service,” added Miles.
Miles earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he was editor-in-chief of the Harvard Law Record, and his B.S. in Business Administration from Aquinas College.
The firm’s other two former U.S. Attorneys, Michael Battle and Roscoe Howard, reside in its Washington, D.C., office.
With more than 600 attorneys and other legal professionals, Barnes & Thornburg is one of the largest law firms in the country. The firm serves clients worldwide from 13 offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Delaware, Indiana, Los Angeles, Michigan, Minneapolis, Ohio, and Washington, D.C.
On March 16, 2017 Seton Hall University School of Law welcomed Paul J. Fishman, former U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow. Fishman resigned his post on March 10 after seven-and-a-half years of service as U.S. Attorney, and more than 21 years with the United States Department of Justice. He is also a new member of NAFUSA.
Fishman received an honorary degree from Seton Hall Law in 2011 and comes to the law school with a distinguished history of public service and substantial accomplishments as a practitioner. He will guest lecture in classes, meet informally with students, and serve as a keynote speaker in Seton Hall Law’s globally recognized healthcare compliance program.
According to Dean Kathleen Boozang, “Access to someone with Mr. Fishman’s experience is a rare opportunity for those interested in public service careers, the practice of criminal law, or the compliance profession. He is already well known among students who have interned in the U.S. Attorney’s Office as a fabulous mentor who impresses upon them their duty of practicing law with integrity and a commitment to fairness and justice. His energy and intellect are the ingredients for a very successful classroom presence.”
Fishman was nominated by President Barack Obama as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey in June 2009 and was confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate in October 2009. He served as the Vice Chair and Chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC).
Fishman started his career as a law clerk to Judge Edward R. Becker of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney from 1983-1994, and held the positions of Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, Chief of the Criminal Division, and First Assistant U.S. Attorney during that period. He then served as a senior advisor to the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General of the United States from 1994-1997. From 1998-2009, Mr. Fishman was a partner at Friedman Kaplan Seiler & Adelman where he handled complex civil litigation and headed the firm’s white collar practice.
He received his J.D. from Harvard Law School and B.A. from Princeton University.
The Daily Beast reported at 6 PM that NAFUSA member Robert Mueller will serve as special counsel to oversee the FBI’s investigation of the Russian government’s efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election. The decision was made by Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein, due to Attorney General Jeff Sessions recusal.
The investigation will also examine ‘related matters,’ according to the release–indicating Mueller will look at possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and the Russian government.
Mueller will have the power to bring in staff from outside the Justice Department to help with the investigation, and will have all the authority of a U.S. Attorney. He will also be able to request a budget for the investigation, which Rosenstein will ultimately approve.
‘In my capacity as acting Attorney General, I determined that it is in the public interest for me to exercise my authority and appoint a special counsel to assume responsibility for this matter,’ he said in a statement. ‘My decision is not a finding that crimes have been committed or that any prosecution is warranted.’
‘What I have determined is that based upon the unique circumstances, the public interest requires me to place this investigation under the authority of a person who exercises a degree of independence from the normal chain of command.’
NAFUSA President Elect Doug Jones advised the NAFUSA board of directors that he was stepping down from his NAFUSA position to run for the United States Senate seat in Alabama. See Doug Jones announces run for US Senate (AL.Com) The vacancy occurred when Jeff Sessions resigned from the Senate to become the Attorney General. Luther Strange was named to the vacancy by the Governor of Alabama but must must run in a special election. The primary election is August 15, with a runoff, if needed, on September 26. The general election is December 12. NAFUSA President Bart Daniel announced that he would call a meeting of the nominations committee to suggest a replacement to the NAFUSA board for the position of president elect.
Jones was nominated as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama by President Clinton in 1997, and served until 2001. Jones was best known as the lead prosecutor in the successful prosecution of the murderers responsible for the killing of four young girls in the 1963 Sixteenth Baptist Church bombing. In private practice, Jones has specialized in white-collar criminal defense, business litigation and class-action lawsuits. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama and Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. He served as staff counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee for the late Sen. Howell Heflin of Alabama.
NAFUSA Board Member Jenny Durkan, who served as the United States Attorney for the WD of Washington (2009-2014), announced her candidacy on May 11, 2017, for Mayor of the City of Seattle. See The Seattle Times May, 11, 2017.
Durkan heads the Seattle office of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP. She serves as Global Chair of the Cyber Law and Privacy Group, and is a member of the firm’s White Collar & Corporate Investigations practice. Durkan was in the first group of six U.S. Attorneys nominated by President Obama in May 2009; she was confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate in September 2009. During her five years as U.S. Attorney, Durkan was a member of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, and chaired its sub-committee on Cybercrime and IP Enforcement. She served on the DOJ’s Cyber Advisory Committee and IP Enforcement Taskforce, and co-chaired the Taskforce’s criminal and civil enforcement working groups.
Durkan is Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Washington. Before serving as the U.S. Attorney in Seattle, Durkan was known for her work in noteworthy litigation, including serving as trial counsel to defend Washington Governor Christine Gregoire in the disputed election re-count of 2004.
BakerHostetler announced on May 1, 2017, that Carole S. Rendon, former United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, has joined the firm as a partner in the Cleveland office. Rendon served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the past seven and a half years as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney and, since Feb. 6, 2016, as the United States Attorney, a position in which she was a nationally recognized leader in confronting cybersecurity challenges and the opioid epidemic. Rendon was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on July 14, 2016. She, along with her remaining U.S. Attorney colleagues, resigned at the direction of the Trump administration on March 10, 2017. Rendon is NAFUSA’s newest life member and joins former colleague and NAFUSA member Steven Dettelbach.
As the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Northern District of Ohio, Rendon enforced a wide range of criminal and civil statutes, including the prosecution of public corruption, civil rights, drug trafficking, consumer fraud, human trafficking, firearms crimes and other violations. She has a particular depth of knowledge regarding the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, and monitorships. She also oversaw the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s high-profile civil litigation and served as lead counsel on several significant civil matters, including the consent decree with the City of Cleveland providing comprehensive reform for the Cleveland Division of Police. A passionate advocate for the community, Rendon helped establish the Northeast Ohio Business Ethics Coalition, the U.S. Attorney’s Heroin and Opioid Task Force and the Northeast Ohio Cyber Security Consortium, where she brought together the region’s largest employers and most respected institutions.
Early in her career, Rendon spent 10 years as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston. She began in the Organized Crime Strike Force, handling complex multi-defendant public corruption, RICO, international alien smuggling and money laundering prosecutions, ultimately serving as chief of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. Previously in private practice, Rendon developed broad experience in white collar criminal defense and complex civil and commercial litigation in federal and state courts.
“It’s not every day you meet someone with Carole’s wide-ranging experience handling white collar crime, commercial litigation and other civil matters,” said Ray Whitman, chair of the Litigation Group. “When you combine her trial capabilities with her commitment to helping others, she adds significant depth to our Litigation Group. We are very excited to have Carole join BakerHostetler.”
“For the past seven and a half years, I have had the privilege to serve the people of the Northern District of Ohio, overseeing the most significant criminal and civil matters and engaging with the community on the most challenging problems facing our district. Transitioning from government service, I wanted to ensure that I could continue this important work, and my role at BakerHostetler will provide me with that opportunity,” said Rendon. “I am looking forward to working on both criminal and complex civil matters with a team nationally recognized for its deep bench of talented litigators.”
Her practice will focus on representing corporations and individuals in high-stakes litigation and corporate investigations, white collar defense and civil matters, including contract disputes, real estate litigation, legal malpractice defense, trade secrets litigation, antitrust matters, and False Claims Act litigation. She will advise companies in a multitude of industries, such as healthcare, technology, manufacturing, banking, financial services and telecommunications.
Rendon earned her J.D. from the Northwestern School of Law, cum laude, in 1987, and her B.A. from Northwestern University, summa cum laude, in 1984. Immediately following law school, she served as a law clerk for the Honorable Joel M. Flaum of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on white collar crimes, business ethics, consumer fraud, cybersecurity, human trafficking, hate crimes, mental health, addiction and discrimination.
BakerHostetler’s Chambers USA-ranked White Collar Defense and Corporate Investigations team is composed of some of the country’s most experienced and seasoned lawyers, many of whom have served as former federal and state prosecutors and SEC enforcement attorneys. Team members have represented Fortune 50 companies and major hedge funds before the SEC, the Department of Justice, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Trade Commission, and other federal and state regulatory agencies.
One of NAFUSA’s newest members, Wifredo A. “Willy” Ferrer, has joined Holland & Knight as a partner in the Miami office. Ferrer, the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, will lead the firm’s Global Compliance and Investigations Team.
Under Mr. Ferrer’s leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida handled more than 11,000 cases and charged more than 18,000 defendants for their alleged roles in criminal schemes. The office prosecuted a wide range of financial fraud, including investment and securities fraud as well as fraud against the U.S. government and the Medicare program. Mr. Ferrer directed cases involving international and domestic terrorism, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, violent crime and human trafficking.
“Willy Ferrer is one of the most respected government officials in South Florida. He has an impeccable reputation in our profession,” said Steven Sonberg, managing partner of Holland & Knight. “We are proud that he has chosen to continue his remarkable career at Holland & Knight.”
The move to Holland & Knight reunites Ferrer with John Hogan, who currently serves as head of the firm’s Litigation Section. They previously worked together at the U.S. Department of Justice, while Hogan was chief of staff to the late U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno.
At Holland & Knight, Ferrer’s practice will focus on international and domestic investigations for corporate clients, including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act matters. He will utilize the firm’s strong Latin America Practice to assist clients in the region. He will represent companies and individuals facing enforcement actions, complex litigation and other compliance issues. Ferrer also will use his considerable background in the areas of healthcare and financial services regulation to advise companies on compliance with federal and state laws.
Ferrer was nominated as a U.S. Attorney by President Barack Obama and received unanimous confirmation from the U.S. Senate in April 2010. Prior to serving as a U.S. Attorney, Ferrer was Chief of the Federal Litigation Section for the Miami-Dade County Attorney’s Office from 2006 to 2010 and an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida from 2000 to 2006.
Ferrer received his J.D. degree, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and his A.B. degree from the University of Miami, where he graduated first in his class.
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