John Elwood John Elwood, above right, outside the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Photo by Diego M. Radzinschi/THE NATIONAL LAW JOURNAL

Updated at 4:37 p.m.

Allon Kedem, an assistant to the U.S. solicitor general for the last five years, has left the office to become a partner in the appellate and Supreme Court practice of Arnold & Porter, starting today.

Kedem is a former clerk to Justice Anthony Kennedy in 2009 and 2010 and then became one of Justice Elena Kagan's first law clerks in 2010 and 2011. He has argued 11 cases before the high court for the government and prevailed in eight.

Kedem's move is a signal that John Elwood, who joined Arnold & Porter as head of the appellate practice in June, is growing the team. Elwood, formerly at Vinson & Elkins, was part of a "musical chairs" switcheroo that saw Lisa Blatt, who previously headed Arnold & Porter's Supreme Court practice, jumping to Williams & Connolly, replacing Kannon Shanmugam, who leapt to Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in January.

"The firm is very serious about investing in this practice. It really works for them," Elwood said. "It's something that is very useful to the various other practice groups in the firm and for bringing in work as well." Elwood hired Kedem at the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel in 2007 and they have stayed in touch since.

Elwood added, "Allon has the distinction of being the only person who I ever picked up the phone for and told [Justice Kennedy] that you have to hire this person. Allon was, I thought, the perfect lawyer and so I felt very strongly that he should be hired." Elwood had clerked for Kennedy in 1996 and 1997.

Elwood said Kedem joins a team that includes partners R. Stanton Jones, Elisabeth Theodore, and R. Reeves Anderson, plus associates or counsels William Perdue, Anthony Franze, Sam Callahan and Sally Pei.

In an interview, Kedem said Elwood's role at Arnold & Porter was a significant factor in deciding to join the firm, after interviews with other firms. "He's just a great lawyer and a great person, and will make a wonderful colleague," Kedem said. He said the time was right for a "new challenge."

Kedem joined the U.S. Solicitor General's Office during the Obama administration, but he said the change in administration in 2017 "wasn't a factor" in his decision to leave the SG's office. "It was important that we got leadership in the new administration that has respect for the office's traditions and its value as an honest broker at the court," he said. Kedem added, "Obviously, the mix of cases changes somewhat when you have a new administration, but it's not anything that led to my decision that it was a good time for me to transition."

With his experience in the SG's office, Kedem said he brings to the firm expertise on False Claims Act cases, Native American law, as well as arbitration and securities litigation among other areas.

Allon Kedem Allon Kedem/courtesy photo

He also said he learned the importance of hands-on research for cases before the Supreme Court. In 2018, he argued in United States v. Sanchez-Gomez, a dispute over physical restraints imposed on defendants in pretrial nonjury proceedings. Before the argument, Kedem said he and other government lawyers went to the federal courthouse in Washington and had U.S. marshals use the restraints on them.

"It gives you a little bit more credibility if you can say that you know what you're talking about in the practical sense," Kedem said.

Two other lawyers who have left the office this year are deputy Michael Dreeben, now teaching at Georgetown University Law Center, and Zachary Tripp, an assistant to the solicitor general, whose last day on the job was Sept. 6. Rachel Kovner, a longtime assistant to the solicitor general, is awaiting U.S. Senate confirmation for a federal district court judgeship in New York, and some other assistants are said to be considering a move.

Between his Supreme Court clerkships and his position at the solicitor general's office, Kedem was an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, where he was part of the team that helped prepare a report that was a centerpiece in the recent prosecution of former Skadden partner Greg Craig over the scope of the firm's work for Ukraine. Craig was acquitted at trial.

By joining Arnold & Porter, Kedem becomes part of a group of lawyers with musical interests. Elwood has been known to play his guitar at the office, and Kedem said he too plays the guitar. But Kedem doubts he'll bring his to the office. "I won't subject anyone to that. I think they deserve better."

 

Read more:

What New Supreme Court Cases Reveal About Big Law Billing Rates

Arnold & Porter Snags SCOTUS Veteran John Elwood From Vinson & Elkins

Lisa Blatt Rejoins Williams & Connolly, This Time as Supreme Court Practice Head

Shanmugam Exits Williams & Connolly to Launch Paul Weiss Appeals Practice

A Mayer Brown Supreme Court Duo Leaps to McDermott

 

This report was updated to identify another U.S. Justice Department lawyer who recently left the solicitor general's office.