Vinson & Elkins has strengthened its environmental and white-collar crime practice, hiring Ronald Tenpas, a former assistant attorney general for the environment and natural resources division of the U.S. Department of Justice, as a partner in Washington, D.C.

Tenpas, who focuses his practice on government enforcement matters, joined Vinson & Elkins on Monday from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, where he had practiced since 2009 after spending 12 years with the DOJ. He served as AAG from 2007 through 2009, and earlier served as a U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Illinois.

Tenpas said he decided to join Houston-based Vinson & Elkins because he knows a number of lawyers at the firm and saw it as a good place for his practice. He said he was also ready to take on new challenges.

Tenpas said he cannot identify clients because much of his work is focused on government enforcement actions and investigations that remain confidential unless there is an announcement of a public resolution. He said he has clients in industries including energy, chemicals, mining, real estate and real estate development.

“They are people who are making physical and tangible items and in the course of that, they need to be mindful of the environmental rules,” he said.

Larry Nettles, a Vinson & Elkins partner in Houston who heads the firm's environmental and natural resources practice group, said in a statement that the firm is thrilled with Tenpas' decision to join the firm.

Ronald Tenpas

“Ron is an outstanding attorney whose extensive experience and dedication to excellence will immediately benefit the firm and our clients,” Nettles wrote.

Morgan Lewis did not immediately provide a comment on Tenpas' departure.

In late 2016, Tenpas served on President Donald Trump's transition team for DOJ staffing and policy matters. He said he did not have a role in personnel recommendations, but focused on policy matters.

“That involved … going and sitting down with the current DOJ political leadership and the career lawyers … to talk about what is the major work going on right now, what matters are particularly urgent,” he said, noting that he spent quite a bit of time in the Justice Department building from November 2016 through January 2017.

“It was an interesting chance to be somewhat back in the role of public service,” he said.

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