Paul Hastings, a U.S. law firm, has recruited Brad Bondi, the head of the white-collar practice at influential rival Cahill Gordon & Reindel, to lead its own government investigations practice. Bondi is expected to manage cases covering criminal and civil matters, corporate governance, and complex commercial litigation. With this hire, Paul Hastings seeks to expand its presence in Washington, D.C. from his base as a global co-chair of the firms white-collar and investigation practice.

Brad Bondi is an experienced lawyer who has served on numerous high-profile cases in recent years, such as defending Nikola Corp’s founder Trevor Milton and representing Tesla Inc. in their settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission over Elon Musk’s tweets. He has worked many posts in the legal industry, including as counsel to two former SEC commissioners and as deputy general counsel of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission.

Paul Hastings has been on a hiring spree in 2021, bringing on Avi Weitzman and Jennifer Conn from rival Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher into their fold. On the other hand, two of the firms regulatory partners have moved to other competitors, taking their expertise in financial technology and cryptocurrency-focused practices with them.

Paul Hastings has a distinguished history of successful legal outcomes for its clients, along with a strong devotion to diversity and inclusion. With Brad Bondi’s experience, he is expected to ensure that the firm is well-positioned to add kind of expertise his current and future clients will come to rely upon.