McDermott Will & Emery is pleased to announce that Paul M. Thompson has joined the Firm as a partner in the Trial Department, based in the Washington, D.C. office.  During the 109th Congress, Mr. Thompson served as counsel to former Ohio Senator Mike DeWine on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.

"Paul's breadth of experience at both the trial and appellate levels, and his invaluable experience with the Senate Judiciary Committee are a wonderful addition to our practice," commented Bobby Burchfield, co-partner-in-charge of the Washington, D.C. office.

While working for Senator DeWine, Mr. Thompson handled a number of high-profile matters.  He served as lead counsel during the Senate confirmation hearings for both Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT ACT, the passage of the Military Commissions Act (2006), and legislation concerning the National Security Agency's warrantless surveillance program.

From 2002-2005, Mr. Thompson was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Appellate Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he served as Ethics Advisor, Professional Responsibility Officer, and Acting Chief of the Appellate Section.  During his time with the U.S. Attorney's Office, Paul represented the government in more than 80 criminal and civil appeals before the United States Courts of Appeals and dozens of matters in the United States District Courts.

From 2000-2002, Mr. Thompson served as a law clerk to the Honorable D. Brooks Smith, former Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and current member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.  He received his J.D. from Harvard Law School, magna cum laude, and his A.B., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from Harvard College.

McDermott’s Washington, D.C. office, founded in 1978, has become a full-service location with more than 200 lawyers practicing in a host of areas that include multinational corporations, government and political institutions, environmental agencies, international organizations and high technology companies.  McDermott's Trial Department is well-known for providing clients with a unique blend of trial skills and substantive experience which can be effectively used in the many areas of law and business where disputes arise.

www.mwe.com