

A notable shift is underway as top U.S. law firms continue to absorb a wave of former Biden administration attorneys. Between December 2024 and July 2025, around 250 lawyers transitioned from roles in the White House, Main Justice, and the Federal Trade Commission to private practice in BigLaw and beyond.
Prominent Moves and Firm Activity
- Edward Siskel, who served as White House Counsel under President Biden, has joined Latham & Watkins. This move highlights a broader pattern of prominent government lawyers entering elite private firms
- Other firms actively hiring Biden administration talent include Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Cravath, Swaine & Moore, King & Spalding, Paul Weiss, Quinn Emanuel, Sidley Austin, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, and WilmerHale.
- King & Spalding in particular made headlines earlier this year by bringing on multiple former Biden officials, such as Lauren Roth (former FDA policy head), Nema Milaninia (former State Department advisor on cybersecurity/AI), and Ryan Majerus (from Commerce Department)
Market Forces and Talent Pool Shifts
- These transitions occur against a backdrop of heightened competition. Firms are now inundated with applications from federal lawyers, even as demand in typical practice areas like white-collar criminal defense has slowed
- This influx of legal talent, coupled with conservative hiring practices and reduced enforcement activity, is reshaping the traditional “revolving door” from government to private sector.