Williams & Connolly Shuns Laterals and Generally Keeps Its Partners
Former White House counsel Greg Craig surprised observers when he announced that he would be joining Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom rather than return to Williams & Connolly, where he had spent 30 years.
According to the Washingtonian’s Capital Comment blog, it’s rare for Williams & Connolly partners to leave the firm that is more exclusive than the Alfalfa Club. “It’s nearly impossible to gain membership in the top tier of the prominent D.C. litigation firm,” the blog says, “and once lawyers do get in, they almost never leave.”
Williams & Connolly has hired only one lateral partner in 20 years, the blog says. The firm has a policy of promoting from within, and partners are reluctant to leave their colleagues.
The blog did manage to find two other lawyers who left Williams & Connolly for government service and then spent some time at other firms: Scott Blake Harris, now general counsel at the Energy Department; and Robert Litt, now general counsel for the director of national intelligence. A third, Allen Waxman, left to become general counsel of Pfizer. He is now a partner at Kaye Scholer.
