Eric Holder Jr. didn’t wear a tie, didn’t stand to speak, didn’t have his security detail hovering when he reintroduced himself to Covington & Burling’s law partners a few weeks ago. He didn’t need to. They already knew him.

The 900-lawyer firm celebrates a homecoming this week as Holder, the nation’s first black attorney general, rejoins the firm as a white-collar partner. Covington plans to announce the news Monday, and his official start date will be in September.