Kellyanne Conway, George Conway, and their twins (via Kellyanne Conway’s Twitter feed)
Jones Day and Sullivan & Cromwell aren’t the only Biglaw firms funneling leading lawyers into the Trump Administration. They’re now joined by Wachtell Lipton — one of the most prestigious and profitable firms in the Am Law 100.
George T. Conway III — prominent New York litigator, Wachtell Lipton partner for more than two decades (since 1994), and husband of top Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway — will be nominated to a plum post at the Department of Justice. The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal (on Friday night, because weekends are when notable news breaks in Trumpworld):
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George Conway, the husband of senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, is set to be nominated to run the Justice Department’s civil division, according to people familiar with the matter, a job that would put him at the forefront defending the controversial immigration executive order and other lawsuits against the Trump administration.
Mr. Conway, a partner at Wall Street law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, had also been in the running for other jobs at the Justice Department.
Indeed. Serving as Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division could be viewed as a “consolation prize” of sorts for Conway, who was a finalist for Solicitor General. That nomination ultimately went to former Jones Day partner Noel Francisco, but the process was very good for raising Conway’s profile inside the Beltway.
And while it’s not as glamorous as SG, AAG for Civil is a very important job — as noted by the New York Times, which also reported on Conway’s nomination:
Mr. Conway, 53, would lead a department of about 1,000 lawyers that has vast reach across the government, handling issues like national security and consumer protection and enforcing federal programs and the actions of the president himself….
If confirmed, Mr. Conway would immediately be in charge of representing Mr. Trump in the legal challenges — which are widely expected to reach the Supreme Court — over his executive order barring people from six predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States….
It would also fall to Mr. Conway to oversee Mr. Trump’s defense in a pending lawsuit charging him with violations of the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, which bans federal officeholders from accepting gifts or payments from foreign governments, because of the profits his hotels and resorts receive from foreign officials who are customers.
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Conway is used to handling high-profile cases from his years at Wachtell Lipton, but even major takeover battles don’t make headlines the way that the travel-ban litigation has. (Speaking of which, in case you missed it over the weekend, check out the latest Ninth Circuit drama in that case.)
So George Conway — a longtime player behind the scenes, e.g., in the Clinton v. Jones litigation — will have to get used to the spotlight. Luckily for him, he won’t have far to go for advice: his wife Kellyanne, Trump campaign manager turned senior advisor, is no stranger to the media (or to controversy).
As I’ve mentioned before, I had the pleasure of working with George Conway during my time at Wachtell Lipton. I send him congratulations to him on his imminent nomination, and wish him good luck in the confirmation process.
Kellyanne Conway’s Husband Is Set to Lead Justice Department Division [Wall Street Journal]
Kellyanne Conway’s Husband Is Trump’s Choice for Key Justice Post [New York Times]
Earlier: Friday Night Fights — At The Ninth Circuit
Jones Day In The (White) House: The Biglaw Firm Fills Top Jobs In The Trump Administration
More Sullivan & Cromwell Lawyers Joining The Trump Administration
And The Nominee For Solicitor General Is….
An Exciting New Entrant In The Solicitor General Sweepstakes
David Lat is the founder and managing editor of Above the Law and the author of Supreme Ambitions: A Novel. He previously worked as a federal prosecutor in Newark, New Jersey; a litigation associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz; and a law clerk to Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. You can connect with David on Twitter (@DavidLat), LinkedIn, and Facebook, and you can reach him by email at [email protected].