backWASHINGTON, February 27, 2023 – King & Spalding announced today that Alicia O’Brien has rejoined the firm as a partner on the Special Matters and Government Investigations team in Washington, D.C.
O’Brien returns to the firm from the White House Counsel’s Office, which she joined in 2021. In her role as Senior Counsel and Special Assistant to President Biden, she led the office’s Ethics and Compliance Team, providing legal and strategic communications advice to senior officials throughout the Executive Office of the President, Cabinet and agency leadership on issues ranging from government ethics standards and related investigations to executive branch nominations.
Prior to originally joining King & Spalding in 2019, O’Brien served in the U.S. Department of Justice as an Associate Deputy Attorney General in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General and as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legislative Affairs. In these capacities, she advised DOJ leadership on complex, sensitive matters and managed the Department’s responses to congressional oversight hearings and investigations, as well as parallel inquiries by inspectors general and other federal agencies.
In her return to King & Spalding, O’Brien will provide a full-service practice for clients facing government scrutiny, including high-profile congressional and government investigations, crisis management, and strategic public policy advice related to investigations and risk management.
“Alicia has built a sterling reputation in White House, DOJ and private sector roles as an advisor with impeccable judgment and deep knowledge of congressional investigations and crisis management,” said Mark Jensen, head of the firm’s Special Matters and Government Investigations team. “Her impressive experience will benefit a wide range of clients, from established companies responding to government investigations to start-ups just launching their initial compliance programs. Alicia is a natural leader, mentor and team player, and we’re thrilled to welcome her back.”
“I deeply enjoyed my previous time at King & Spalding and was drawn back by its world-class platform of clients and well-known culture of collaboration,” O’Brien said. “I’m excited to return to private practice and again work with exceptionally talented colleagues and friends in continuing to help our clients navigate the significant risk and public scrutiny that congressional inquiries and parallel investigations pose, as well as develop crisis management and compliance approaches for clients to avoid enforcement scrutiny proactively.”
O’Brien is the second addition to the firm from the White House Counsel’s Office this year, following the arrival in January of counsel Justin Dews, who served as Associate Counsel there. Prior to that position, he served as Senior Counsel in the Counsel’s Office of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. Their high-level government experience adds to the depth of substantial knowledge that makes the firm well situated to assist clients facing a broad range of government investigations, enforcement matters, and policy and regulatory issues.
O’Brien earned her J.D. from American University Washington College of Law and her undergraduate degree from University of Maryland at College Park.
About King & Spalding
Celebrating more than 130 years of service, King & Spalding is an international law firm that represents a broad array of clients, including half of the Fortune Global 100, with 1,300 lawyers in 23 offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm has handled matters in over 160 countries on six continents and is consistently recognized for the results it obtains, uncompromising commitment to quality, and dedication to understanding the business and culture of its clients. More information is available at www.kslaw.com.
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