Legal News

William Barr, Formerly of Verizon and Bush I?s DOJ, Lands at Kirkland

By Dan Slater

George Bush signs into law new civil rights guarantees for women and minorities at a Rose Garden ceremony, Nov. 21, 1991. VP Dan Quayle, left, and AG William Barr look on. (AP/Marcy Nighswander)

First thing’s first: Just check out that classic picture to your left! Freezing rain and sleet aside, you know it’s a great day when Dan Quayle makes a Law Blog cameo.

Now to the news: Fresh off a long stint as general counsel of Verizon, William Barr — an Attorney General under Bush I who reportedly advised John McCain in his most recent bid for the presidency — has joined the D.C. office of Kirkland & Ellis.

“As a former client, I have worked closely with Kirkland lawyers for years and have seen first-hand the quality of work that they produce,” Barr said in a statement.

Barr (Columbia, George Washington Law) launched his legal career as law clerk to Judge Malcolm Wilkey of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. From 1982 to 1983, he served on the White House Domestic Policy Staff under President Reagan, and then returned to the D.C. firm of Shaw Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge, where he practiced until 1989.

Prior to his career as a telecom lawyer, Barr was attorney general under George H.W. Bush from 1991 to 1993. In 1994, Barr joined GTE as general counsel. In 2000, GTE merged with Bell Atlantic to become Verizon.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on January 07, 2009 (boomark / email).