Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) has hired former Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan as a partner in its financial services disputes and investigations practice.

Durkan will lead the firm’s US white collar practice and split her time between its Seattle and Washington DC offices. Durkan, who served as mayor between 2017 and the end of 2021, was previously a partner at Quinn Emanuel, where she was co-managing partner of the Seattle office and global chair of its cyber practice.

She brings with her more than 35 years of legal experience across a range of matters including cybercrime, national security and regulation, currently chairing the Washington State Bar Association’s task force on emerging technologies such as AI.

Lee Marshall, global department leader of litigation and investigations, said: “Jenny’s decades of experience as a successful trial lawyer, lead federal prosecutor and mayor of a major city is invaluable. Her experience handling high-stakes investigations and litigations, along with her adept leadership and judgement gives her a unique edge, and we are thrilled to have her on board in our growing Seattle office.”

Durkan spent two-and-a-half years at Quinn Emanuel prior to her time as mayor, having previously been US Attorney for the Western District of Washington, a role she held for five years. Before that she ran her own private practice for 12 years, having started her legal career at litigation specialist Williams & Connolly before heading on to Seattle firm Schroeter Goldmark & Bender, where she was a partner.

During her time as the Mayor of Seattle, she was was recognised by Fortune Magazine as one of the ‘World’s 25 Greatest Leaders’ for her response to the Covid-19 pandemic, with her actions ensuring Seattle had one of the lowest incidences of disease, hospitalisation and death among major cities in the US.

She said: “I am excited to join the great lawyers at BCLP. Legal challenges often cross borders, are increasingly complex and BCLP provides one place where Northwest clients can get top-flight legal work for their local, national and international issues.”

Other US firms have been adding former government lawyers in recent months. At the start of October, Paul Hastings hired former assistant to the solicitor general Benjamin Snyder as a litigation partner in its Washington DC office. That came shortly after Kirkland & Ellis hired former Federal Trade Commission lawyer Stephen Mohr as a partner in its antitrust practice.