Morgan Lewis Continues Litigation and Labor and Employment Growth with Addition of Partner Duo

NEW YORK and WASHINGTON, DC, May 8, 2026: Morgan Lewis continues to bolster its global litigation and labor and employment capabilities with the arrival of Michael Edney and James La Rocca as partners in the firm’s Washington, DC and New York offices, respectively. Both join from Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, building on the firm’s recent addition of a trio of partners who joined from the same firm last month and further enhancing its integrated disputes and workplace platform.

“Mike and James each bring a distinctive combination of litigation strength and practical judgment that clients value in high-stakes matters,” said Firm Chair Jami McKeon. “Mike’s experience challenging government enforcement and regulatory actions, together with James’s integrated labor and employment practice, strengthens our leading ability to advise clients across disputes, investigations, and day-to-day workplace issues.”

Drawing on his prior government service with US Department of Justice (DOJ) and National Security Council, Mike focuses his practice on white collar defense, regulatory enforcement, and complex commercial litigation. He represents executives and corporations in criminal prosecutions and agency enforcement actions and regularly challenges government regulations on constitutional and administrative law grounds. He has significant experience with matters involving the DOJ, the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and other federal agencies. In addition to his enforcement and investigations work, Mike has litigated high-profile First Amendment and appellate matters and advises on national security-related issues.

“Mike’s practice sits at the intersection of enforcement defense, regulatory challenges, and appellate advocacy,” said Troy Brown, leader of Morgan Lewis’s global litigation practice. “His ability to take on government action across multiple fronts and integrate trial and appellate strategy adds meaningful depth to our litigation bench in Washington, DC and globally.”

James maintains a robust labor law practice alongside an active employment litigation practice. He advises employers on union organizing campaigns and proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), negotiates and administers collective bargaining agreements, and provides day-to-day counseling on compliance with the National Labor Relations Act. He represents employers in a wide range of matters, including litigation before federal and state courts, administrative agencies, and arbitrators, often involving complex and sensitive workplace issues.

“Clients need counsel who can provide practical, business-focused advice while also handling complex disputes across multiple forums, whether it be NLRB trial and hearings or state court litigation,” said Michael J. Puma, leader of the firm’s global labor and employment practice. “James’s ability to integrate traditional labor advice with employment litigation strategy strengthens our platform and will be an immediate asset to clients facing day-to-day workplace issues and high-risk disputes.”

Mike and James join their colleagues Shawn Regan, Torsten Kracht, and Chris Pardo in expanding the firm’s roster of talented trial lawyers across key markets, sectors, and practice areas. In addition to those recent hires, since the start of 2026, the firm has welcomed IP litigation partner Matthew Rizzolo in Washington, DC; class action litigation partners Brian Buckley and Melissa Lawton in Seattle and Los Angeles, respectively; financial services litigation partners Matthew Martel and Joseph Sconyers in Boston; and employment litigation partner Benjamin Davis in Miami.