Add RSS RSS

Seth Waxman

Musical Chairs: WilmerHale's New Hires

WilmerHale Wilmer Hale 2 Abovethelaw Above the Law blog.JPGWe bring you news of a career move by one of America's most fabulous young lawyers. From a press release issued by WilmerHale:

WilmerHale is pleased to announce that Rachel L. Brand and Mark D. Nelson will join the firm's Washington, DC public policy and strategy practice focusing on congressional investigations, regulatory affairs and crisis management. Ms. Brand will also be active in the firm's government litigation and defense and national security practices. Ms. Brand was most recently Assistant Attorney General for Legal Policy, where she served as chief policy and regulatory advisor to the Attorney General and managed the confirmation process for Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel Alito.

Wait, hold on a sec -- Rachel Brand? As in young-conservative-superstar Rachel Brand, known in some circles as the Federalist Society Prom Queen?

Are you sure there hasn't been some mistake? Maybe Brand went to another D.C. law firm whose name starts with a "W," like Wiley Rein -- perhaps a more natural home for a prominent Republican attorney?

WilmerHale, after all, is one of Washington's most high-profile, left-leaning law firms. It's home to leading liberal lawyers like former Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick, a possible Attorney General or Defense Secretary in a Democratic administration; former Solicitor General Seth Waxman, a possible judicial (D.C. Circuit?) nominee; Randy Moss, former head of the DOJ's super-elite Office of Legal Counsel; and Howard Shapiro, former general counsel to the FBI. [FN1]

But no, it's true -- Brand is at Wilmer Hale. Word on the street, in fact, is that the firm is actively looking for Republican lawyers like Brand and Nelson. Perhaps they need someone to hold down the fort when everyone bails to serve in the Obama Administration?

We spoke to Rachel Brand yesterday, her first day of work. You know how useless first days can be -- paperwork, orientation, technology training. "They taught me how to turn on my computer," she quipped.

As for her new gig, Brand expressed excitement about the opportunity to join WilmerHale, "a great firm with some incredible lawyers." She noted the abundance of lawyers with government experience at WilmerHale and said that her skill set fit well with the firm.

We wish Brand and Nelson the best of luck in their new professional home.

(We tried to contact Nelson but were unable to reach him. The WilmerHale telephone operator did not have an extension for him. Perhaps he isn't in the office yet? If he is, someone needs to give his phone number to the receptionist.)

[FN1] As it turns out, a number of prominent Republicans are current or former WilmerHale partners. E.g., current partner Reginald Brown, who most recently served in the White House Counsel's office, and former partner C. Boyden Gray, currently U.S. ambassador to the European Union Special Envoy for EU Affairs.

WilmerHale Adds Top DOJ and Congressional Investigation Lawyers To Public Policy and Strategy Team [WilmerHale]

Movie Night With Justice Breyer (Part 2)

Seth Waxman 6 Seth P Waxman Above the Law Above the Law.JPG

"You mean to tell me that this guy has argued before the Supreme Court? This guy, in the button-down shirt? Seriously?"

******************************

Here are the remaining photos from our recent Movie Night With Justice Breyer. The first batch was posted over here.

As we previously explained, these pictures are pretty awful -- dark and blurry. Because of all the priceless art lying around, we weren't allowed use a flash inside the darkened precincts of the Phillips Collection.

And we're not great at photography to begin with. And we could use a better camera. (Did you catch that, Sony and Canon publicists?)

But if you're looking for a break from all the law firm pay raise coverage, maybe you'll appreciate them. Check them out, after the jump.

Continue reading "Movie Night With Justice Breyer (Part 2)"

Movie Night With Justice Breyer (Part 1)

Stephen Breyer 2 Stephen G Breyer Dan Froomkin Above the Law.JPG
Poor Justice Breyer -- he's totally trapped! (But nice necktie, Your Honor. Is it Hermes?)

Supreme Court justices: They're just like us. They get cornered at cocktail parties by matronly women they don't really know.

And no, that's not Beverly D'Angelo, aka Barbara "Babs" Miller of Entourage. We wish.

But yes, that is the Washington Post's Dan Froomkin -- FROOMKIN!!! -- over her shoulder, on the far right.

*****************************

Last week, we attended a movie night with Justice Stephen G. Breyer, sponsored by The Week magazine. It was held at the Phillips Collection, an amazing modern art museum here in Washington, DC. We were treated to cocktails and dinner, followed by a screening of The Third Man -- Justice Breyer's cinematic selection.

Photographs, plus brief commentary, after the jump.

Continue reading "Movie Night With Justice Breyer (Part 1)"