Former special counsel Robert Mueller rejoined WilmerHale, a law firm based in Washington, the firm said on Oct. 1.
Mueller was hired in 2017 by the Department of Justice to probe alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election.
His team submitted its report earlier this year. The report proved underwhelming for opponents of President Donald Trump, who repeatedly said that Trump colluded with Russia to win the election. Mueller’s team said it couldn’t establish conspiracy or cooperation between Trump or his campaign and Russian actors.
WilmerHale said Mueller’s practice at the firm will focus on high-profile investigations and crisis management.
“We couldn’t be happier to have Bob, our extraordinary friend and colleague, return to WilmerHale,” said Robert Novick, the firm’s co-managing partner, in a statement.
“Few lawyers have been entrusted with as many matters of national significance as Bob, in both his public service and in private practice. Bob embodies the highest values of our firm and profession. We’re privileged to work alongside him once again.”
Mueller said in a statement that he was honored to serve as special counsel but was anticipating working again in private practice.
“I’m glad to be at WilmerHale once again, a firm with a tradition of honoring public service,” Mueller said. “It was an honor to serve as special counsel. Now, I look forward to resuming my private practice alongside the talented lawyers at the firm.”
Mueller first joined the law firm in March 2014. He worked as a partner at Hale and Dorr, one of WilmerHale’s predecessor firms, from 1993 to 1995.
The firm also said James Quarles and Aaron Zebley, who also left the firm in 2017 to work in the office of the special counsel, would also be returning to the firm as partners.
Other members of the special counsel’s office have gone to other places since the office disbanded shortly after the submission of the report.
Michael Dreeben joined Georgetown Law School in August as a distinguished lecturer from government for the 2019-20 school year.
Andrew Weissman, who donated to Hillary Clinton in 2007 and was at her election night party in 2016, joined New York University Law and got a book deal with Random House.
Andrew Goldstein, the former chief of the public corruption unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, joined the Cooley law firm; Zainab Ahmad, who also worked as a prosecutor and trial lawyer in the Department of Justice, joined the Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher firm; Greg Andres, who served as the lead trial lawyer in the prosecution of Paul Manafort in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, rejoined Davis Polk & Wardwell; and Jeannie Rhee, a former U.S. deputy assistant attorney General who was at WilmerHale in the past, joined Paul Weiss as a partner.
Brandon Van Grack continued in government work, staying at the Department of Justice. He now oversees the Foreign Agents Registration Act unit.
