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Law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr has announced that it has hired Paul Connell, a former federal prosecutor and senior Wisconsin Department of Justice official, to help run its state attorney general practice. Connell will co-chair the firm’s state attorney general practice based in Washington, D.C. He will work with Brian Mahanna, a Democrat and former senior official in the New York state attorney’s office, to give the practice bipartisan leadership in an area where politics often drive enforcement priorities.
Connell has a wealth of experience in state attorney general issues, having previously worked at Reed Smith and Cozen O’Connor law firms. At WilmerHale, he will represent clients facing investigations and litigation from state attorneys general, who have increasingly trained their enforcement authority on corporations. State authorities have brought significant antitrust challenges and pressured companies on political issues, including the environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) investing movement.
In a statement, Connell said that Wilmer has deep knowledge of data privacy, energy, technology, and healthcare issues that are likely to be a growing focus of state attorneys general. WilmerHale said Connell’s hire is part of the firm’s goal of growing practices that deal with government agencies.
Major Washington law firms have been seeking legal talent to help clients navigate a more aggressive approach from state authorities. Law firms Hogan Lovells and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld have brought on prominent former Democratic attorneys general in recent months.
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WilmerHale has a strong track record in state attorney general matters, representing clients in some of the most high-profile investigations and litigation by state authorities.
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The state attorney general practice is vital to WilmerHale’s broader litigation and controversy department, which includes more than 300 lawyers across the firm’s offices. The department is known for its expertise in high-stakes litigation, including securities, antitrust, intellectual property, and product liability disputes.
WilmerHale is one of several law firms expanding their practices focused on government agencies. The firm’s move comes as the state attorneys general are playing an increasingly important role in regulating businesses across a range of industries. The Biden administration has also signaled that it will take a more aggressive approach to regulation by appointing officials with solid backgrounds in state attorney general matters.
Overall, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr’s hire of Paul Connell reflects the firm’s commitment to expanding its state attorney general practice and broader government agency work capabilities. With Connell’s deep experience in state attorney general matters and bipartisan leadership alongside Mahanna, the firm is well-positioned to continue representing clients in high-stakes investigations and litigation brought by state authorities.
