Law Firms Beef Up Specialty Business

When President Trump fired half of the U.S. Attorneys in the country, they had to go somewhere.

So Andrew Luger, a former U.S. Attorney, joined Jones Day as a partner in its investigations and white collar defense practice. He supervised large-scale white collar investigations and prosecutions for the government.

His transition back to the private sector comes at a time when government prosecutors are "increasingly" investigating companies and their officials, according to Jones Day. It is a trend that is affecting large and small firms.

BigLaw

Luger joined the firm after President Trump cleared house by firing 46 U.S. attorneys. He said Jones Day is involved with "some of the most intense white collar matters and investigations in the U.S. and around the world. "

Kaplan Marino, a small criminal defense firm, says health care fraud sweeps are continuing through the country. In 2016, the Department of Justice announced filing charges against 301 defendants for health care fraud.

"Federal investigations into alleged fraudulent claims and kickback arrangements in the health care industry have become a growing nationwide trend over the past several years," the firm reported.

BoutiqueLaw

Collora, a Boston-based boutique, is now part of the larger litigation landscape. Hogan Lovells, a 2,600-lawyer multi-national, is acquiring the litigation and investigations firm.

It is a big step up for the 15 partners at Collora, and it also marks another step forward among law firm acquisitions. As clients look for specialized services more than general legal help, specialty firms are in a good position.

"We weren't looking to join forces with a global firm but when Steve Immelt (Hogan's CEO) reached out to us last fall, we decided that we couldn't turn away this opportunity," said Kathy Weinman, a Collora founder who had done investigations work with Hogan Lovells in the past.

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Related Resources:

• Where Are the United States Attorneys? (New York Times)
• Tax Lawyers, Should You Get a CPA License? (FindLaw's Strategist)
• The Real Cost of Lateral Hires for Law Firms (FindLaw's Strategist)
• The Rutter Group's Guide for Federal Civil Procedure: Updated, Still the Best (FindLaw's Strategist)

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