John Finston, until recently general counsel at the California Department of Insurance, has joined Drinker Biddle & Reath as a partner in San Francisco.

Finston worked at the CDI, a state agency charged with regulating the insurance marketplace, for the past five years. He first served as a deputy commissioner for corporate and regulatory affairs before becoming in-house legal chief, a role that saw him supervise more than 100 lawyers and manage legal issues ranging from litigation against the department to enforcement actions against insurance companies and various regulatory matters.

At the CDI, Finston also advised commissioner Dave Jones, whose term will end in 2018. With a change in leadership looming, three firms, including Drinker Biddle, reached out to Finston about coming aboard, he said.