Former White House Counsel Fred Fielding Returns to Morgan Lewis
-
date:
04/07/2009
downloads/links:
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 7, 2009: Morgan Lewis today announced that former White House Counsel Fred F. Fielding will join the firm as partner in its Litigation Practice on April 15, resident in the firm's Washington, D.C. office. Mr. Fielding—an internationally known litigator, mediator, and counselor who served in the West Wing during three administrations, most recently as Counsel to President George W. Bush from 2007 to 2009—returns to the firm where he began his legal career as a summer associate in 1963.
"Fred's experience, judgment, and temperament earn universal respect, regardless of party or interest," said firm Chair Francis M. Milone. "We are thrilled to welcome one of Washington's preeminent lawyers back to the Morgan Lewis team."
Prior to his appointment to the Bush White House, Mr. Fielding was a name partner at the Washington, D.C. firm of Wiley, Rein & Fielding (now WileyRein LLP), where he headed the Government Affairs, Business & Finance, and Litigation Practices, and was co-chair of the Crisis Management/White Collar Practice. Mr. Fielding served as White House Counsel to President Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1986. He also served in the Nixon White House as Deputy Counsel from 1972 to 1974 and as Associate Counsel from 1970 to 1972.
"As an experienced navigator of complex management crises both in government and in private practice, Fred is uniquely qualified to handle critical litigation matters, especially those involving the intersection of business and government," noted James D. Pagliaro, leader of the firm's Litigation Practice.
"Fred's gravitas as a senior legal statesman in Washington, D.C., with deep and significant connections to top national and international businesses, are an exciting addition to the federal regulatory and litigation capabilities we have worked hard to build," added Grace E. Speights, Managing Partner of the firm's Washington, D.C. Office. "He will be a tremendous asset to our clients at a time when government influence is expanding to meet unprecedented global challenges."
Mr. Fielding's return to Morgan Lewis comes on the heels of the firm's expansion late last week of its FDA/Healthcare Regulation Practice, and the addition earlier this year of three high-ranking federal government attorneys to its 300-lawyer strong Washington, D.C. office—former Senior Litigation Counsel at the FTC Tom Lang, former Deputy Solicitor of Labor at DOL Jon Snare, and former Assistant AG for the Environment and Natural Resources Division at DOJ Ron Tenpas. Overall, the firm is home to more than 50 partners who have served as high-level attorneys in government agencies ranging from the U.S. Department of Justice and the IRS to the Treasury Department, Securities & Exchange Commission, Department of Energy, and National Labor Relations Board.
When Mr. Fielding was appointed White House Counsel in 2007, TIME magazine described him as "the ultimate Washington lawyer-insider . . . he's the guy who helps you defend your position, stick to your principles, but tries to work out a reasonable compromise . . . he is highly regarded by everyone." The New York Times noted Ken Duberstein's observation that "Fred has an independence of judgment and independence of stature."
Among his many honors, Mr. Fielding has been named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" for commercial litigation and government relations from 1996 through 2007. In 2004, he was the Bar Association of the District of Columbia's "Lawyer of the Year." The same year, Washingtonian magazine recognized him as a "Top Criminal Defense Lawyer" and "Top Appointments Lawyer." Corporate Counsel magazine listed him as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" for business litigation and D.C. Lawyer called him a "Legend of the Law."
Mr. Fielding has a long record of leadership in public service. His appointments include serving as a member of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (commonly referred to as the 9/11 Commission); Clearance Counsel for the 2000 Bush-Cheney Presidential Transition; a member of the Secretary of Transportation's Task Force on Aviation Disasters (1997–1998); a member of the Tribunal on the U.S.–U.K. Air Treaty Dispute (1989–1994); and a member of the President's Commission on Federal Ethics Law Reform (1989).
Mr. Fielding's early career at Morgan Lewis was interrupted by two years of active U.S. Army duty and then in 1970 by the call to join the Nixon White House. He first came back to the firm in 1974 as a partner in the Washington, D.C. office, where he organized and led the litigation group until he left for the Reagan White House in 1981.
Mr. Fielding graduated from Gettysburg College with honors and received his law degree from the University of Virginia, where he served on the editorial board of the Virginia Law Review.