Debevoise & Plimpton LLP today announced that former United States District Court Judge John Gleeson of the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) has joined the firm as a partner in the Litigation Department.
Judge Gleeson spent more than two decades as a federal judge, appointed to the bench by President Clinton in 1994. He has presided over more than 200 criminal and civil jury trials in the EDNY and has authored more than 1,500 published opinions. From 1985 to 1994, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the EDNY, including two years as Chief of the Criminal Division. In 1992, he earned the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service for his role as lead prosecutor in U.S. v. John Gotti.
“Judge Gleeson’s considerable experience as a judge and prosecutor, coupled with his impeccable reputation for integrity, make him an ideal fit for the firm,” said Debevoise Presiding Partner Michael W. Blair. “Corporate general counsel and board members who need to conduct credible, independent investigations, or have an independent voice to scrutinize the strength of corporate compliance efforts, will find his credentials and skill set extremely attractive.”
Debevoise’s Litigation Department was named Litigation Department of the Year by The American Lawyer in 2014. Its capabilities include excelling in high-profile, complex representations for clients facing corporate crises around the globe. The group’s reputation for quality, integrity and judgment has been widely recognized, and Debevoise is the only firm in the world ranked in Band 1 for Corporate Investigations in Chambers Global.
“We are delighted to welcome Judge Gleeson to Debevoise,” said Mary Beth Hogan, Co-Chair of the Litigation Department. “Adding a partner with his judicial and prosecutorial background will strengthen our government enforcement and litigation practices even further. In particular, he will fortify our market-leading capabilities in handling the highest-profile DOJ, SEC and other government investigations as well as crisis-related work for the world’s largest companies. He will also bring additional, unique strength to our trial practice given his decades of experience in the courtroom as a judge and advocate.”
Judge Gleeson earned his B.A. from Georgetown University and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. Upon graduating from law school, he clerked for Hon. Boyce F. Martin, Jr. in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Judge Gleeson has taught law continuously for more than 25 years, and since 1995 he has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at NYU School of Law, where he teaches courses on Complex Federal Investigations and Sentencing. In April of 2016, he will receive the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in Law. The annual Jefferson Medals in Law, Architecture and Citizen Leadership are the highest honors conferred by the University of Virginia and the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. Last month, Judge Gleeson was the Distinguished Jurist in Residence at Cornell Law School. Past recipients of both honors include a number of U.S. Supreme Court justices.
“I am excited to be joining Debevoise,” Judge Gleeson said, “and I am extremely grateful to my future partners for the opportunity they have given me. I have long admired the firm’s work and culture. A number of my former colleagues and law clerks have vouched for its unique attributes by moving there at some point in their careers, and several are there today. I can’t think of a better place to begin the next phase of my own career.”
About the Litigation Department
Debevoise has one of the strongest and most diverse litigation practices in the world, regularly producing exceptional results of national and international importance. The firm’s litigators, which include former federal prosecutors and regulators, bring personal attention and deep industry knowledge to each matter, tailoring advice to clients’ needs, priorities and circumstances. The Debevoise team is truly collaborative at every level, working seamlessly with clients, with co-counsel and across practices to achieve the best results in clients’ most challenging matters. The firm is currently handling the internal investigation of FanDuel, the sports fantasy website, and is also defending the company in the highly publicized action brought by the New York Attorney General. Other ongoing matters include advising The Home Depot in connection with an internal investigation following a data breach that exposed the personal information of tens of millions of individuals.
About Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a premier law firm with market-leading practices, a global perspective and strong New York roots. We deliver effective solutions to our clients’ most important legal challenges, applying clear commercial judgment and a distinctively collaborative approach.