A former federal prosecutor has joined Troutman Pepper Locke in Atlanta in a move that strengthens the firm’s white-collar litigation and investigations practice while reuniting the two previous U.S. attorneys for the Middle District of Georgia.

Peter Leary joined Troutman Pepper as a partner after an 18-year career with the Department of Justice that included the last four years as acting, interim and full-time U.S. attorney for a 70-county area that includes more than 2 million residents, the newly merged firm announced Tuesday.