Former top Bush lawyer joins Phila. firm

It goes without saying that when a new president arrives in Washington, virtually all senior players in the White House are reshuffled.

But a similar dynamic also plays out in Washington's extensive private sector as many top officials from the old administration, suddenly out of work, seek employment inside the Beltway.

Such was the case yesterday with word that Fred Fielding, White House counsel to former President George W. Bush and a former member of the 9/11 Commission, would be joining the Philadelphia-based law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius L.L.P. in its Washington office.

The announcement that Fielding would be joining 1,400-lawyer Morgan Lewis in its litigation practice underscored the sharp competition for talent and well-placed senior government officials among top-tier law firms, even as firms across the nation are cutting back.

Fielding, a Bucks County native, was at the center of White House efforts to craft the government's response to last fall's financial collapse and is well positioned to advise clients on how to navigate the regulatory maze the government is erecting to distribute funds and protect the economy from further shocks.

In an interview as he was vacationing in Florida, Fielding said it was too early to say specifically where the best opportunities might lie for a Washington-based firm as clients seek to cope with the financial downturn and the government's response.

But he said in general terms that there likely would be much work for law firms seeking to guide clients through the process.

"The value that a player can add is to understand and interpret and shepherd a client through this evolution of regulatory control," he said. "And to see where clients can avoid pitfalls and where a client can find advantages."

Fielding's announcement that he would be joining Morgan Lewis amounted to something of a homecoming. He worked at the firm as a summer associate, after his second year at the University of Virginia Law School, in 1963.

He started with the firm as a freshly minted lawyer in 1964, interrupted his legal career to serve in the Army, and then joined the White House counsel's office in 1970 under former President Richard Nixon.

He returned to the firm in 1974 as a partner and left again to serve in the Reagan White House, where he was counsel to the president from 1981 to 1986.

Fielding was raised in Mechanicsville, in Bucks County, and attended Gettysburg College.

"Fred's gravitas as a senior legal statesman in Washington, with deep and significant connections to top national and international businesses, is an exciting addition to the federal regulatory and litigation capabilities we have worked hard to build," said Grace E. Speights, managing partner of the firm's 300-lawyer Washington office.

"He will be a tremendous asset to our clients at a time when government influence is expanding to meet unprecedented global challenges," she said.

Fielding was a Republican appointee to the 10-member 9/11 Commission, where he became known for his gentle but insistent style in pressing witnesses.

In 2000, he was part of President Bush's transition team, helping to screen candidates for senior positions in the administration, including cabinet-level and White House jobs.

Fielding said he had spoken to a handful of firms after leaving the White House but became convinced that Morgan Lewis was where he wanted to practice because of its large Washington presence and broad geographic reach, which includes offices in the United States, Europe and Asia.