Power Circuit: Lots of Moves From Firm to Firm

Defense lawyer Neil Eggleston has joined Kirkland & Ellis as a partner. Photograph courtesy of Kirkland & Ellis.

While the past few weeks have been dominated by moves from government into private practice, this week we’ve got lots of lawyers jumping from one firm to another.

Top white-collar defense lawyer W. Neil Eggleston has landed at Kirkland & Ellis as a partner. He was previously a partner at Debevoise & Plimpton. Eggleston has represented many high-profile clients, including former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel in the prosecution of former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. Eggleston also served in the White House counsel’s office under President Bill Clinton.

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has brought on a new co-managing partner for its Washington office: Bill Burck, who came from Weil, Gotshal & Manges. Burck’s practice includes both complex domestic and international disputes, and white-collar criminal work. He will also practice out of the firm’s New York office.

David McIndoe and R. Michael Sweeney Jr., previously co-heads of the commodities trading group at Hunton & Williams, have joined Sutherland Asbill & Brennan as partners.

Steptoe & Johnson welcomed Edward Schwartz and Andrew Lee as partners in its global antitrust and competition practice. Schwartz joined from Shearman & Sterling, and Lee came from White & Case.

Nick Milano has joined Perkins Coie as of counsel in the investment management practice. He was previously deputy general counsel and chief compliance officer at Legg Mason Capital Management.

The front door at Miller & Chevalier has seen a lot of traffic lately. Dwight Mersereau, formerly a partner at the firm, has joined McDermott Will & Emery’s US and international tax practice.

Meanwhile, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney has hired Thomas Cryan Jr. as a shareholder—the firm’s word for partner—from Miller & Chevalier. Cryan now belongs to Buchanan Ingersoll’s employee benefits and tax practice.

The traffic hasn’t only been headed in one direction. Miller & Chevalier has also brought on two new members—its word for partners. James Warren and Alexander Zakupowsky Jr. have joined the firm’s tax department from Winston & Strawn, where they were partners.

Crowell & Moring has added three attorneys to its intellectual property group in Washington: Partner Cedric C.Y. Tan, senior counsel Neil McCarthy, and counsel Kristin Cooklin. Tan and Cooklin joined from Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, and McCarthy previously had a solo practice.

Venable has hired food and drug regulatory lawyer Ilene Ringel Heller from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, where she was associate director of legal affairs. She is now of counsel in the firm’s food and drug practice.

Karen Bennett, previously vice president for environmental affairs at the National Mining Association, has joined Hunton & Williams as counsel in the environmental group.