Change is good—at least that’s what we’re told. Last year was a good one to test this proposition, as a slew of lawyers found themselves in new, sometimes unexpected roles—and made news while doing so. Debevoise & Plimpton’s white-collar defense superstar Mary Jo White switched sides. Jones Day bankruptcy partner Kevyn Orr got a big new job. Former plaintiffs-side heavyweight John “Sean” Coffey landed a couple of new jobs. U.S. district judge Jed Rakoff and other American lawyers wound up on a Russian list of human rights violators—probably more of a badge of honor than anything else. Having flamed out as a politician, John Edwards went back to work as a lawyer.
Some things didn’t change. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison’s Brad Karp defended the National Football League; Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr’s William Lee was there for the iPhone—and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Theodore Olson seemed to be everywhere.
