The expansion will bolster Ballard Spahr’s white collar and general litigation capability in the state, the firm said
Former federal prosecutor and Southern California-based litigator Thomas W. McNamara will serve as managing partner of the San Diego office, which will be Ballard Spahr’s second in the state. McNamara will be joined by four others attorneys from La Bella & McNamara, which will increase Ballard Spahr’s litigation practice to 200 attorneys across 13 offices.
“We think that Tom McNamara and his team provide a perfect opportunity for the firm to greatly enhance its national litigation practice generally and its white collar practice specifically,” Makadon said. “In Tom, we get a terrific lawyer with a superb reputation, and we would expect the Litigation Department to build the San Diego office with additional high-quality lawyers.”
McNamara served 11 years with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California. He now represents clients in white collar criminal and regulatory enforcement matters and complex civil litigation.
McNamara formed La Bella & McNamara with Charles G. La Bella, another longtime federal prosecutor, almost a decade ago. La Bella is returning to the U.S. Department of Justice to serve as Deputy Chief of the Fraud Section in San Diego.
Also joining McNamara at Ballard Spahr are of counsels Daniel M. Benjamin, Andrew W. Robertson and Logan D. Smith and associate Chrysta L. Elliott.