John Wood Named Top Lawyer at US Chamber of Commerce

John Wood, CLO and GC of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced on May 10, 2018, that NAFUSA life member John Wood has been named its chief legal officer and general counsel, beginning June 4.

Wood served as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri (2007-2009). He also served as a counselor to the U.S. Attorney General and as a deputy associate attorney general at Main Justice. Wood has also served as the chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and as a deputy general counsel in the White House Office of Management and Budget under President George W. Bush. Wood clerked for former Fourth Circuit Judge J. Michael Luttig and for Justice Clarence Thomas on the U.S. Supreme Court.He also served as an aide to U.S. Senator John C. Danforth. He has been a partner at the Washington office of Hughes Hubbard the past nine years.

Wood graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1996, and was the articles chair of the Harvard Law Review. John is married to Julie Myers Wood, the C.E.O. of NAFUSA sponsor Guidepost Solutions.

Sally Yates Rejoins King & Spalding

On May 8, 2018, NAFUSA sponsor King & Spalding announced that former Acting Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates has returned to the firm as a partner on the Special Matters & Government Investigations team. Her global practice will be based primarily in Washington, DC and Atlanta. Yates joined NAFUSA in 2017.

Yates, a 27-year veteran of the Department of Justice, rose through the ranks of Assistant United States Attorneys to become U.S. Attorney in Atlanta, Deputy Attorney General, and Acting Attorney General. As Deputy AG from January 2015 through 2017, she served as the second-highest ranking official in the department and was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of DOJ and its 113,000 employees. She oversaw all prosecutorial, litigation and national security components as well as all U.S. Attorneys’ offices and DOJ law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Prisons. She is currently a Distinguished Lecturer at Georgetown University Law Center focused on public policy.

“Sally Yates is a lawyer’s lawyer,” said Robert D. Hays, Jr. chairman of King & Spalding. “Her return continues a longstanding K&S tradition of launching young lawyers into public service and welcoming them back into private practice. Adding Sally is a remarkable development for our firm and our clients.”

While Deputy Attorney General, Yates was responsible for overseeing the Department’s most significant matters and for crafting and implementing initiatives focused on many of DOJ’s strategic priorities, including corporate fraud, cybercrime, gang violence, civil rights and financial crime. Additionally, she led DOJ’s criminal justice reform initiatives during her tenure and implemented substantial prison reform measures.

Prior to assuming her duties as Deputy Attorney General, Yates served for five years as the first female U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. She immediately became a leader in the Department, serving as the vice chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee. An accomplished trial lawyer, she prosecuted a wide variety of complex cases, specializing in white collar matters. She tried numerous high-profile public corruption cases, including one against the former mayor of Atlanta, and was lead prosecutor in the case against Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph.

Yates said, “I’m excited to get back to practicing law with the firm where I started my career. Not only was K&S my first legal home, it has an unparalleled tradition of legal excellence, uncompromising ethics, and commitment to civic engagement and public service. I’m looking forward to building upon the firm’s independent investigations practice for public and private organizations and boards, and helping organizational leadership navigate complex and sensitive challenges. And I’m excited to be practicing with such an exceptional group of lawyers and staff who truly work as a team to do the very best legal work.”

Before entering government service, Yates worked as a King & Spalding civil litigation associate from 1986 to 1989. She earned her BA from the University of Georgia and her JD, magna cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law.

Yates joins NAFUSA board member John Richter at K&S and is the sixth former federal prosecutor to join firm’s Special Matters & Government Investigations team in the past year.

About King & Spalding
Celebrating more than 130 years of service, King & Spalding is an international law firm that represents a broad array of clients, including half of the Fortune Global 100, with 1,000 lawyers in 20 offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm has handled matters in over 160 countries on six continents and is consistently recognized for the results it obtains, uncompromising commitment to quality, and dedication to understanding the business and culture of its clients. More information is available at www.kslaw.com.

Bill Mulligan Dies, 81- NAFUSA’s First President

William J. “Bill” Mulligan, one of the co-founders of NAFUSA, and its first president (1980-81), died on May 1, 2018. Bill graduated from Marquette Law School (60′). He was an Assistant United States Attorney, 1960-1965; United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1974-1978; Assistant Professor, Trial Practice and Civil Procedure, Marquette Law School, 1978-1980; State Bar of Wisconsin, Chairman of Board of Governors, 1983-1984

In 2014 Bill received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Marquette Law School. He was a shareholder at Davis & Kuelthau, where he was a litigation attorney, and co-chair of the Environmental Team (Of Counsel). Bill’s additional work in the legal community included: Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association, Co-Founder and President, 2003-2004; Wisconsin Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company, Chairman of the Board, 1988-2014; Treasurer, 1986-1988, Member of Board of Directors, 1985-Present.

He is survived by his children Kathleen (Brent Kidwell) Mulligan, Thomas (Cassandra Schug) Mulligan, Sara (Craig) Mauermann and Margaret Mulligan, and nine grandchildren.

As is our custom, at the request of NAFUSA an American flag was flown over Main Justice, placed in a commemorative box and presented to his family as a token of the regard with which Bill was held by his colleagues. Bill was honored at a ceremony at the Federal Courthouse in Milwaukee on May 18, 2018. Retired federal judge (and former AUSA) Charles N. Clevert delivered remarks and presented to Bill’s family with the United States flag that had flown over Main Justice in Bill’s honor at the request of NAFUSA.  Judge Clevert noted that Bill served wilth great distinction as United States Attorney and was known as a man of great integrity and commitment to the legal community in Wisconsin, both in his government work and private practice.  In moving remarks, Judge Clevert choked up when he noted that Bill forever changed Clevert’s life when Bill hired Clevert as the first African-American AUSA in Wisconsin history, putting Clevert on a path that led to him becoming Wisconsin’s first African American federal judge. It is a testament to Bill that he never sought personal recognition for his work in advancing and mentoring many young lawyers in Milwaukee’s legal community.

The presentation was attended by members of Bill’s family, current and former members of the Milwaukee U.S. Attorney’s Office, including current U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Krueger, and other lawyers in the community. NAFUSA was represented by life member Steve Biskupic (ED Wisconsin 2002-2009). In the photograph below, Judge Clevert (left) presents the flag to two of Bill’s daughters, Sara Mauermann (center) and Margaret Mulligan (right). Bill will be greatly missed by the legal community if Milwaukee.

Machen Negotiates Panasonic’s $280M FCPA Penalties

Ronald Machen Jr./Photo by Diego M. Radzinschi/THE NATIONAL LAW JOURNAL.

As reported today by The National Law Journal, NAFUSA board member Ronald Machen served as lead counsel for Panasonic Avionics to resolve alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a negotiation that resulted Monday in settlements with the U.S. Justice Department and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission totaling $280 million. Panasonic Avionics, a supplier of in-flight entertainment and communications systems, agreed to pay a $137.4 million penalty as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department.

As reported by the NLG, the Justice Department penalty represented a 20 percent discount off the low end of the U.S. sentencing guideline range. Prosecutors said they gave Panasonic the reduction for its cooperation with the investigation and for the steps the company took to address the misconduct, such as replacing several senior executives who were involved in the misconduct.

The company separately agreed to pay $143 million in disgorgement to the SEC. According to the SEC settlement, the company created an “office of compliance and ethics” led by a new chief compliance officer.

The settlement terms also require Panasonic to retain an independent compliance monitor for at least two years and continue cooperating with the Justice Department.

Click here to read the full article from The National Law Journal

Machen served as the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia (2010-2015). He is currently a partner Wilmer Hale.

Fitzgerald Joins Kelley on Comey Legal Team

Patrick Fitzgerald (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)

NAFUSA member Patrick Fitzgerald said in a statement released Tuesday evening that he is on the legal team representing former FBI Director James Comey. He said he joined the representation in May 2017.

Daniel Richman, a Columbia Law School professor, and NAFUSA member David Kelley, a former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York (2003-2005), are also on Comey’s legal team, according to a Comey associate.

 

David Kelley

Fitzgerald served as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois (2001-2012) and is now a partner in Chicago of the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom. Kelley is a partner in the New York office of Dechert LLP.

NAFUSA Board Meets in St Pete Beach

The annual Spring NAFUSA board meeting was held in St. Pete Beach, Florida, on April 14, 2018. President Hal Hardin announced that the annual conference will be held at the Westin in Nashville on October 24-26, 2018, and will feature United States Senator Doug Jones as the keynote speaker on Friday evening. Doug is a NAFUSA member and stepped down as president-elect of NAFUSA to run for the Senate vacancy created when Jeff Sessions became the Attorney General. 

(Photo by Jeronimo Nisa/The Decatur Daily via AP)

Hardin stated that the conference planning committee is working on the program, which will begin with an opening evening reception at the offices of conference sponsor Butler Snow on Wednesday, October 24. The Thursday and Friday morning CLEs will include a panel on the opioid epidemic organized by NAFUSA member and former DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg. Other panels are being planned on the Supreme Court, international criminal investigations, and ethics. Thursday evening will feature class reunion dinners. Registration for the conference will open in July. 

Executive Director Rich Rossman reported that organization is financially sound, mainly thanks to the support of our sponsors. We would not be able to hold our annual conferences without our sponsors. The collection of dues is lagging, however. Deputy Director Lisa Rafferty stated that several members have failed to pay their dues by the February 28 deadline. Reminders have been sent.

The board discussed our ongoing tradition of requesting an American flag be flown over Main Justice in honor of a former United States Attorney who has died. The flag is then presented to the family as a token of the regard with which he or she was held by their colleagues. The board expressed its gratitude to EOUSA for its cooperation and noted the increasing cooperation of current U.S. Attorneys in reaching out to NAFUSA when they learn of the passing of one of their predecessors.

There was an extensive discussion of the mission of NAFUSA and when, if ever, it might be appropriate for NAFUSA to take public positions on issues. The mission statement (see About NAFUSA at nafusa.org) states NAFUSA was founded in 1979 “to promote, defend and further the integrity and the preservation of the litigating authority and the independence of the office of the United States Attorney.” In these complicated times, the board mused that we may be the last remaining bipartisan and nonpartisan organization still functioning in the country. The only time NAFUSA has taken a public position as an organization (at least in the memory of those present) dealt with the firing of U.S. Attorneys in the Bush ll Administration, which went to the heart of our mission statement. Since then the board established a super majority rule: the board will not approve a resolution taking a public position without a 75% vote of the voting members of the board. Requests have been made to the board regarding issues surrounding the Mueller investigation and related issues. No action was taken.

As for the newsletter and website, the consensus of the board was that an emphasis should remain with factual member news, with limits on opinion pieces. Our members, of course, are free to express their individual views. Our conferences will continue, however, to vent relevant policy topics, and we will continue to strike a balance and attempt to have all responsible viewpoints recognized.

Rich Rossman has expressed a desire for sometime in stepping down as executive director. The search committee reported that several prospects have been approached as to their interest. Unfortunately, the committee has been unable to identify a potential successor. Rich has agreed to continue for the short run while the search continues. The board expressed its appreciation by awarding both Rich and Lisa a bonus for their efforts. 

President Elect Terry Flynn announced the 2019 conference will be held in San Francisco at the Westin St. Francis. Vice President Paul Coggins announced he is leaning towards Dallas in 2020. On a final note, when we learned that President H.W. Bush’s brother had died and that Board Member Catherine Hanaway was leaving the board meeting to attend the funeral, President Hardin proposed a letter of condolence which was signed by all present and presented by Hanaway to the Bush family. Sadly, Barbara Bush died a few days later. 

As is our custom, NAFUSA board members paid their own travel and hotel expenses to St. Pete. A good time was had by all.

 

Giuliani Joins President’s Legal Team

Rudy Giuliani

NAFUSA lifetime member Rudy Giuliani announced on April 19, 2018, that he has joined President Trump’s legal team dealing with the ongoing special counsel probe. “I’m doing it because I hope we can negotiate an end to this for the good of the country and because I have high regard for the president and for Bob Mueller,” Giuliani said in an interview.

Giuliani became the U.S. Associate Attorney General in 1981-1983. He served as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York in 1983-1989. He served two consecutive terms as the Mayor of the City of New York from 1994-2001.

John Raley Dies

John W. Raley, Jr., who served as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma (1990-1997), died on April 6, 2018. Raley was appointed by President H.W. Bush and reappointed by President Clinton, the only sitting U.S. Attorney to be reappointed at that time. Raley also served as an assistant U.S. Attorney from 1961-1969 and was mayor of Ponca City, Oklahoma (1980-1982), and a municipal judge (2000-2004). He was also a captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He was a graduate of the University of Oklahoma Law School. Raley is the author of “Beyond the Gate: My Journey as an Oklahoma Boy.”

A celebration of his life will be held on April 12 at 2 PM at the First Baptist Church in Ponca City, OK. As is our custom, NAFUSA has requested that an American flag be flown over Main Justice in John’s honor and it will be presented to his family as a token of the regard with which he was held by his colleagues.

 

 

Greg Brower Joins Brownstein

 

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck announced on April 2, that NAFUSA member Greg Brower joined the firm as a shareholder in the Litigation Department. Brower will split his time between the firm’s Nevada and Washington, D.C., offices and will focus on civil and criminal litigation; enforcement, regulatory, and investigative matters; cybersecurity; as well as government affairs at both the federal and state levels.

“Greg’s deep experience as both a first-chair litigator and as a public servant, both in Nevada and in Washington, D.C., will be an outstanding asset to our clients as well as to our colleagues throughout the firm,” said Ellen Schulhofer, the firm’s Las Vegas office managing partner and Executive Committee member. “From high stakes litigation to significant enforcement actions to complex policy matters, Greg’s broad experience as a trial and appellate advocate and as a policymaker and thought leader will contribute in a very significant way to our range of client services.”

Most recently, Greg was the assistant director for congressional affairs at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, serving as the FBI’s chief liaison to Congress on a wide range of critical oversight and investigative matters. He previously served as the FBI’s deputy general counsel, managing a diverse portfolio of legal matters, including litigation, privacy, procurement, compliance and ethics. During his time as a senior FBI executive, spanning two administrations, he worked closely with high-ranking officials in the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. intelligence community, and with key leaders on Capitol Hill.

Greg’s prior federal service also includes two years as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada, and as general counsel and as inspector general at the U.S. Government Publishing Office. He also previously served in DOJ at Main Justice as legislative counsel in the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys.

At the state level, Greg has served in a variety of public policy roles, including several terms in the Nevada Legislature, where he was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He has also served on the Nevada Gaming Policy Committee, the Nevada Advisory Commission on the Administration of Justice, the Nevada Sentencing Commission and the Nevada Juvenile Justice Commission.

Greg has also served the Nevada legal community as an adjunct professor of law at the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he has taught courses in national security law and trial advocacy.

He is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and The George Washington University Law School. Before attending law school, Greg served in the U.S. Navy as a surface warfare officer