Bakers lures former US deputy attorney general in DC

Former US deputy attorney general Paul McNulty is to join Baker & McKenzie's Washington DC office as a partner.

McNulty's experience will see him span several practice areas at the firm, focusing on US litigation, corporate compliance and risk management. He will also work alongside the firm's global dispute resolution practice.

The firm's chairman John Conroy said McNulty's appointment is particularly important because domestic and multinational clients have to focus increasingly on changing laws and ethical requirements in the corporate compliance area.

"His addition advances a key strategic objective to continue deepening the firm's diverse and sophisticated corporate criminal and compliance practices both in the US and globally," Conroy said.

McNulty left the US Department of Justice (DoJ) in May this year. Since then a number of law firms have approached him, but he said he chose Bakers because he felt the firm was particularly suited to his strengths.

McNulty joined the DoJ in 2005 after spending two decades in public service, working at both the federal and state government level. As deputy attorney general he chaired the president's corporate fraud task force and launched a national initiative to crackdown on fraud in government contracting.