Henry Whitaker will join Dechert as a partner in its securities and complex litigation practice, based in Washington, D.C. Whitaker, a former Solicitor General of Florida and senior official within the U.S. Department of Justice, will focus his practice on constitutional, regulatory, administrative and commercial litigation in trial and appellate courts, as well as investigations and enforcement actions by state attorneys general. He brings experience handling multifaceted disputes and advising on federal law and policy from senior roles in federal and state government.
“Henry’s arrival reflects our continued investment in appellate and regulatory litigation,” Mark Thierfelder, co-chair of Dechert, said. “He will add depth to our team and expand our ability to support clients in disputes where commercial interests intersect with questions of government authority.”
Michael McGinley, co-chair of Dechert’s securities and complex litigation practice, added, “Henry is an elite litigator who understands how legal and policy decisions take shape within government and what those decisions can mean for businesses. His experience serving at the highest levels of the U.S. and Florida governments, combined with nearly two decades of appellate advocacy arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court, nearly every federal circuit court and in courts throughout Florida, brings a valuable perspective to our practice. I look forward to working closely with Henry alongside Steve Engel, who chairs our appellate and regulatory litigation group.”
Whitaker will represent clients in high-stakes contentious matters and counsel them on the implications of federal and state enforcement and policy developments for their businesses. He joins Dechert after serving as senior counselor to the U.S. Attorney General, advising the attorney general on the operations of the Department of Justice (DOJ). His previous roles include Florida Solicitor General, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel and Attorney on the Civil Division’s Appellate Staff. He has argued more than 50 federal and state appellate cases, including two before the U.S. Supreme Court, and, as Florida Solicitor General, led the office responsible for the state’s most significant litigation. He clerked for Judge David B. Sentelle on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and Justice Clarence Thomas on the U.S. Supreme Court.
“The opportunity to work again with Steve Engel and alongside Mike McGinley and colleagues across Dechert was an important part of my decision to join,” Whitaker said. “Clients in high-stakes disputes with federal and state governments need counsel who can carry a case from the trial court through the Supreme Court. I look forward to bringing that experience to private practice and building relationships with clients as we work through the legal issues affecting their businesses.”
