Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer offices in Washington, D.C. Courtesy photo.

Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer said Wednesday that Michael McGill has joined the firm as a government contracts partner in Washington, D.C.

McGill arrives from Hogan Lovells, where he was a partner in the global regulatory practice group. He started at Hogan Lovells in 2002 soon after graduating law school and spent nearly 17 years there.

“Over the last 15 years, I've come to know well the partners in this group here … and respect them,” McGill said. He said he thought Arnold & Porter had the preeminent government contracts and national security group in the country, adding his move was in response to the opportunity at Arnold & Porter, and not the result of a wider search.

At Arnold & Porter, he will focus on complex litigation, transactional matters and government procurement law across several different sectors. The firm noted this work involves bid protests, contract claims against government, and contractor disputes as well as litigation, arbitration and mediation matters.

McGill said the bid protest work often heats up in third quarter, and he was excited to arrive at Arnold & Porter before things got into full swing.

Craig Holman, Arnold & Porter's government contracts and national security practices head, touted the reputation McGill cultivated in the D.C. market as particularly important.

“The diversity of Mike's practice across government contracts and industries and his experience with handling high-stakes government contracts matters will provide great value to our clients,” Holman said in a statement.

McGill declined to identify any of his clients, but said the adjustment to his new firm for his clients, and those of Arnold & Porter, had been smooth.

Arnold & Porter is now a few years removed from its merger with New York-based Kaye Scholer and has designs on expanding out west. Earlier this year, chairman Richard Alexander said the firm added 15 partners as laterals last year. Still, the firm's recent growth in 2019 in D.C. in its appellate and Supreme Court practice after the departure of practice leader Lisa Blatt, and in the government contracts realm, suggests Arnold & Porter is not neglecting its hometown roots.

McGill said he thought Arnold & Porter's government contracts group was well-sized and declined to say whether he anticipated others following his lead from Hogan Lovells.