TPMMuckraker

PATRIOT Act Author: ‘No-Brainer’ To Hire Lawyer Who Quit Law Firm Over DOMA

Former Assistant Attorney General Viet Dinh and former United States Solicitor General Paul Clement

When Paul Clement resigned this morning from the law firm King and Spalding after it decided to withdraw from its agreement with House Republican leadership to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court, the small law firm Bancroft PLLC quickly announced Clement would be joining it as a partner.

In an email to TPM, Bancroft PLLC founder Viet Dinh — the former Bush-era Justice Department official primarily responsible for authoring the PATRIOT Act — said that signing Clement was “a no brainer.”

“Paul wins the biggest cases and Bancroft solves the most complex problems,” Viet Dinh said in the email. “Paul brings to Bancroft an unparalleled record of success, integrity and — obviously — demonstrated commitment to the interests of his clients. We cannot be more proud of our new partner.”

In a statement, Clement said that Bancroft was “shaking up the D.C. legal establishment.”

“I have known my Bancroft partners for more than 20 years,” Mr. Clement said. “They put
clients first and deliver results. Bancroft offers its clients premier talent, without all the baggage of a mega firm.”

According to a statement, the firm’s practice areas “include complex and Supreme Court litigation, civil and criminal government investigations and proceedings, executive clemency, corporate governance, and national security and USA PATRIOT ACT compliance.

Other partners at Bancroft PLLC include H. Christopher Bartolomucci, who served in the White House from 2001 to 2003 as associate counsel to President George W. Bush.

Ryan J. Reilly

Ryan J. Reilly is a D.C.-based reporter for TPM. Prior to joining TPM, he worked for a news website covering the Justice Department and was a researcher for Bloomberg News. His email address is ryan(at)talkingpointsmemo.com.

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