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Manhattan Prosecutor Joins Elite Law Firm
1 Oct
Summary
- Wachtell Lipton hired former Manhattan chief US prosecutor Joon Kim.
- Kim previously worked at rival firm Cleary Gottlieb for eight years.
- The hire follows the departure of Wachtell's top litigator earlier this year.
Legal powerhouse Wachtell Lipton has bolstered its litigation practice by hiring Joon Kim, the former chief US prosecutor in Manhattan. Kim, who previously spent eight years as a litigation partner at Cleary Gottlieb, stated his ambition to practice law at the highest level, identifying Wachtell Lipton as the industry standard.
This move is a rare poaching of talent from a rival firm and follows the earlier departure of Bill Savitt, Wachtell's co-chair and head litigator, along with five partners to Gibson Dunn. Wachtell, renowned for its M&A expertise, also maintains a strong litigation arm.
Kim's tenure at the US attorney's office in Manhattan included key roles such as chief of the criminal division. He was instrumental in high-profile cases, including the prosecution of Steven Cohen's SAC Capital Advisors and Ross Ulbricht. Following Preet Bharara's dismissal, Kim briefly served as interim head prosecutor, overseeing significant cases like Billy Walters' insider-trading prosecution.
More recently, Kim represented Nissan and Sequoia Capital at Cleary Gottlieb. In 2021, he was appointed by the New York attorney-general to investigate sexual harassment allegations against Governor Andrew Cuomo, which ultimately led to Cuomo's resignation.
