Musical Chairs: Michael Mukasey to Debevoise
The revolving door between government and private practice is in full swing. This morning brought the news that Judith Kaye, former chief judge of New York State, has joined Skadden Arps as counsel.
And this afternoon brings more news: Michael Mukasey, fresh off his stint as U.S. Attorney General, will be joining the partnership of Debevoise & Plimpton. Before his service as AG, Mukasey was a partner at Patterson Belknap (and was a Patterson associate before becoming a federal judge in the S.D.N.Y.).
Why didn’t Mukasey return to Patterson? Perhaps Debevoise offered more dough. Fueled by a series of large internal investigations, including the international Siemens matter, the firm has seen its partner profits skyrocket in recent years. In 2007, profits per partner at Debevoise hit $2.3 million.
Says a Debevoise tipster: “Now I get to find out if waterboarding is torture.”
Update (3:05 PM): The Debevoise press release is now available here.
Update (4 PM): Mukasey gave a short interview to the WSJ Law Blog, in which he explained his decision to join Debevoise: “It’s particularly strong in litigation and in conducting major corporate investigations and preparing reports to boards. Also, it has many former government lawyers, including Mary Jo [White].”
Update (5:30 PM): More praise from Mukasey for Debevoise, over at Am Law Daily.
Michael B. Mukasey to Join Debevoise & Plimpton (press release)
A Law Blog Q&A With Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey [WSJ Law Blog]
Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye Joins Skadden, Arps (press release)
Former NYS Chief Judge Judith Kaye Joins Skadden [Am Law Daily]
(33) 
Comments
I don't think he will be very popular there......
Maybe it's part of a new associate incentive program.
Waterboarding is not torture, it is performance evaluation.
I used to water board every summer on Fire Island, it was no big deal.
Belly Fystal
Mukasey did a great job rebuilding the DOJ after Gonzales. Debevoise is lucky to have him.
I wonder why Patterson didn't have him back given his time as an associate and partner after heading up the SDNY
Mukasey spoke at my graduation last May. Remarkably, it was the most boring thing that happened to me at law school, which is saying quite a lot.
Never heard of him. Probably made up by ATL.
What about champagne boarding?
-Pop Bottles
Wow, #5 = Mukasey.
Are Debevoise libruls?
very prestigious pickup for D&P. doesn't make sense though; the firm is a leader in pro bono Guantanomo work
And Gonzo is still unemployed. Serves the bastard right.
*Guantanamo - 12
I am surprised that Mukasey would want to work there; he is only moderately conservative, but D&P is very liberal.
Who is the idiot who really thinks every positive comment must have been made by the actual person, and why haven't they killed themselves yet for such a negative, idiotic worldview?
SKADDENLA!
How much does a former chief judge of the NY COA get paid for being counsel at Skadden? How much work will she actully be required to do? Anyways she can't complain about judicial compensation anymore....
D&P is a joke.
W&C rules the land.
Geez, even chief judges of the NY COA don't make partner at Skadden. Law students beware!
16 = actual person who made positive comment.
Mukasey, like Gates, was a moderate appointed late in Bush's reign to ease anger over two extreme conservatives that they replaced.
Both of them are quite boring, as one poster earlier noted. That is part of why they were appointed to the cabinet.
Skadden = Coudert x2
This post is boring. I am offended. Please masturbate.
lets talk about how great debevoise is. please?
Who would hire this obvious criminal? Oh yeah, those obvious criminals.
"Says a Debevoise tipster: "Now I get to find out if waterboarding is torture."
Pwnt!
Sorry, 16, I was busy being waterboarded for freely expressing myself. Why haven't you killed yourself for not being able to recognize sarcasm and humor when you see it? No one really thinks Mukasey is trolling around ATL comment threads - I'm not even sure he can operate these internet thingamajiggies. Enjoy missing everything fun and cool.
12 - I really hope someone leaks the ethical wall memorandum once he starts. That will be true comedy.
"Attorneys A-Z are representing . . . in their appeals against the DOJ. Michael Mukasey, as AG, prosecuted these defendants. Please make sure not to discuss..."
12 and 15 - size of paycheck trumps ideology evey day of the week.
So obvious even a GULCman would get it...
Most major New York law firms are pretty liberal.....
19-what is W&C?
Does this mean that Debevoise's PPP for 2008 was strong?
19 = no offered by D&P