New York, Dec. 18, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brian K. Mahanna, chief of staff and deputy attorney general in the Office of the New York State Attorney General, is joining WilmerHale as a partner in the firm’s New York City office in February 2019.
Mr. Mahanna brings to the firm an extraordinary breadth of knowledge and experience gained as the top administrator in one of the nation’s largest and most active state attorney general’s offices. There, he oversaw high-stakes, high-profile investigations and litigation for a state at the center of the nation’s financial sector and other important industries.
With his experience in both the state attorney general’s office and, before that, as senior adviser to former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Mr. Mahanna also adds to the firm’s already substantial strategic counseling capabilities.
Mr. Mahanna will be a member of the firm’s Regulatory and Government Affairs Department, chaired by former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick. He will be an important part of the Crisis Management and Strategic Response Group within that department. There, Mr. Mahanna will help clients contend with high-profile crises and other significant challenges.
Robert Novick, co-managing partner of WilmerHale, said of Mr. Mahanna, “Brian’s unique combination of talent and experience will prove tremendously helpful to many of our clients. We are thrilled Brian is joining us at WilmerHale and that he chose our firm as the best platform for his extraordinary abilities.”
Added Ms. Gorelick, “There are very few lawyers who can operate at the intersection of law and policy, at the federal, state and local levels. Brian is one of those few. He is particularly well-prepared to guide clients as they address investigations by state AGs who have ramped up their oversight and enforcement activities in recent years. Brian knows the work of the nation’s state AGs and can work effectively with their offices.”
“I’m excited to be joining WilmerHale and am looking forward to putting my experience in government to use solving our clients’ most difficult problems,” Mr. Mahanna said. “While at the attorney general’s office, it’s been an honor to work with some of the smartest lawyers in the business, on the most complex issues, with impacts far beyond New York. At WilmerHale, that will still be the case.”
As chief of staff and deputy attorney general in New York, Mr. Mahanna served as principal adviser to the attorney general, and supervised all major civil, regulatory and criminal cases, investigations, legal positions and initiatives undertaken by the office. He managed the Executive Division, including its special counsels, and the communications, data analytics, legislative and intergovernmental affairs departments. He was also responsible for the attorney general’s collaborations with other New York state agencies and state attorneys general, including on complex multistate investigations and litigation.
Before joining the Office of the New York Attorney General, Mr. Mahanna was in private practice. Prior to that, he served as senior adviser to former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and as chief of staff and counsel to the deputy mayor for operations.
Mr. Mahanna is a graduate of New York University’s College of Arts & Science and Yale Law School.
Media contact: Molly Nunes, WilmerHale
+1 617 526 5603
About Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
WilmerHale provides legal representation across a comprehensive range of practice areas that are critical to the success of its clients. The law firm’s leading Intellectual Property, Litigation/Controversy, Regulatory and Government Affairs, Securities, and Transactional Departments participate in some of the highest-profile legal and policy matters. With a staunch commitment to public service, the firm is renowned as a leader in pro bono representation. WilmerHale is 1,000 lawyers strong with 12 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.wilmerhale.com.
Attachment