Former Deputy Solicitor General Michael Dreeben to Join O’Melveny
December 3, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Premier Supreme Court Practitioner to Join Appellate and White Collar Practices
WASHINGTON, DC—December 3, 2019—O’Melveny announced today that Michael Dreeben, former Deputy Solicitor General of the United States and a premier Supreme Court practitioner who argued more than one hundred cases before the High Court, will join the firm as a partner in its Appellate and White Collar practices. He starts in January and will be based in Washington, DC.
Dreeben joined the US Department of Justice as an Assistant Solicitor General in 1988 and served as Deputy Solicitor General from 1995 to 2017. In that role, he oversaw the DOJ’s criminal docket before the US Supreme Court. As an advocate for the United States, Dreeben handled a wide range of matters, from public corruption and financial fraud to technology and privacy issues, as well as securities litigation and enforcement. He also argued cases involving hate crimes and the First Amendment.
In 2017, Dreeben took a leave to join Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s legal team investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and obstruction of justice. His responsibilities included defending the Special Counsel’s authority against statutory and constitutional challenges.
At O’Melveny, Dreeben will bring his expertise to multiple practice areas, from Appellate and White Collar to Cybersecurity/Data Privacy and Securities Litigation. He will also provide crisis management counsel to boardroom clients, especially those facing government investigations and complex issues of first impression.
“Michael has a well-earned reputation as one of the nation’s top legal minds and most effective advocates,” said O’Melveny chair Bradley J. Butwin. “He is a preeminent Supreme Court practitioner who is held in the highest esteem by the Supreme Court bar and Court watchers everywhere. We can’t wait to welcome him to the firm and begin introducing him to our clients.”
“Michael is an amazing lawyer and an even better person,” said Jonathan Hacker, chair of O’Melveny’s Supreme Court and Appellate Practice. “We have always tried to build our practice around lawyers who combine intelligence with integrity, charm, and humor. Michael embodies all of those traits and more. He is the perfect addition to our team.”
“It has been my pleasure to know Michael since the earliest days of his career,” added Walter Dellinger, former acting US Solicitor General and a partner in O’Melveny’s Appellate Practice. “Michael is one of the finest Supreme Court advocates of his generation and will be a powerful champion for our clients’ interests in the most complex appellate and white collar matters.”
“I am excited to join O’Melveny’s stellar team,” said Dreeben. “O’Melveny’s talented professionals, deep experience, and commitment to client service is second to none. And the firm stands unique in clearly articulating its core values—excellence, leadership, and citizenship, values that I share. Beyond those attributes, what drew me to O’Melveny is the quality of its people. I have long admired Walter Dellinger as a teacher, mentor, and friend. He exemplifies the essence of O’Melveny: enthusiastic professionals who love what they do, work collaboratively, and translate those traits into deep relationships with clients and unsurpassed legal product.”
Dreeben is a Distinguished Visiting Lecturer at Georgetown University Law Center, where, among other roles, he is an advisor to the American Criminal Law Review and serves as a guest lecturer. He recently taught a seminar at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Law. He is also engages in other educational and public-interest activity and is a member of the American Law Institute.
O’Melveny is among the few elite law firms regularly tapped for big-ticket litigation, appellate and trial work, and large streams of ongoing litigation. The firm represents parties in six cases on the Supreme Court’s docket already this Term, including cases testing whether a New York City law restricting the transport of handguns in public violates the Second Amendment; the constitutionality of a Louisiana law restricting women’s access to reproductive health services; and the right of state criminal defendants to a unanimous jury verdict.
About O’Melveny
It’s more than what you do: it’s how you do it. Across sectors and borders, in boardrooms and courtrooms, we measure our success by yours. And in our interactions, we commit to making your O’Melveny experience as satisfying as the outcomes we help you achieve. Our greatest accomplishment is ensuring that you never have to choose between premier lawyering and exceptional service. So, tell us. What do you want to achieve? For the answers, please visit omm.com.
Contact:
Christopher Rieck
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
+1 212 326 2218
crieck@omm.com