Thursday, March 16, 2023
Wave of Federal Judges Ditch Bench for Lucrative Big Law Jobs
George Hazel and Gregg Costa had yet to turn 40 when former President Barack Obama nominated the lawyers to become federal judges.
The appointments—Hazel to a federal court in Maryland and Costa in Texas—were part of an emerging trend, as the Obama administration looked to tap younger judges for lifetime roles that could secure their seats for a generation. Roughly a decade later, Hazel and Costa opted for another path: they recently left their roles for lucrative partnerships at elite law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.
Hazel, now a 47-year-old father of two, said he was ready for another act as a lawyer, not to mention the pay boost that comes with it. Gibson Dunn reported more than $4.4 million in profits per equity partner last year.
You can hardly blame them. I think of Leo Strine, former Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court, now at Wachtel, Lipton.
https://rightcoast.typepad.com/rightcoast/2023/03/wave-of-federal-judges-ditch-bench-for-lucrative-big-law-jobs.html
Surely this opens the risk of corruption. Deliver a few decisions that suit Biglaw firm ABC and they offer you a well paid job.
The judges, in other words, will be as crooked as the politicians, generals, and admirals.
Posted by: dearieme | Mar 16, 2023 3:35:35 PM