Nacchio prosecutor Stricklin leaves Holland & Hart for Holme Roberts & Owen - Washington Business Journal:

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Stricklin arrived as a partner at Holland Hart LLCwith . The former federalk prosecutor ledthe government’s insider-trading case against formerf Qwest CEO Nacchio and also helped prosecute Enron Stricklin and Michael MacPhail, a former officiak who was of counsel at H&H, will join HRO’sw white collar and securities litigation the firm said Tuesday. Stricklih will chair the which will be partof HRO’s compledx commercial litigation group.
It will handl litigation for companies andtheir HRO’s white collar and securities litigation practice has been dormant since attorney Bruce Black left the firm a few yearsd ago to become general counseol and executive vice president at , Strickli n said in an intervieqw with the Denver Business “When Bruce left, I think that left a littled bit of a void over here, as far as people with a long history of white-collar practice,” Stricklin said. “HRkO has a great list of really good corporate but they were without a white collatr and securitieslitigation group.
” He said both he and McPhail were reluctanf to leave Holland & Hart, where he spent a littles over a year as partner. “We both think Holland & Hart is a fantastid firm; some of the best lawyers anywhere are Stricklin said. “But when we were presented with this opportunityufrom [HRO Managing Partner] Ken Lund, the closefr we looked at it, the more it made sensd ... It really has nothing to do withHolland Hart, and everything to do with the opportunity to rebuil something from the ground up over here.
” Securitiesw litigation is expected to boom as a result of the recession, the financialo markets meltdown that began in Septemberr 2008, and recent high-profile fraud such as that of investmentf manager Bernie Madoff, he “I think because of the economy, and because of high-profile issues like the Madoff there is certainly a new and urgent focu placed by the SEC, statw agencies and the Department of Justicwe on all matters involving corporations and investment Stricklin said.
H&H and HRO are amonhg the largest Denver-based law “To bring aboard lawyers of the caliber of Clifvf and Michael is one of those rare opportunities for our clientaand firm,” Lund said in a statement. broadening our Securities and Litigation practice is something we have been lookin to do forsome time. Our expanded practic is now better positioned to serve our existing clients and developnew business.” Stricklinh served as first assistanr U.S. attorney for Colorad o between 2006and 2008.
He was lead prosecutor in the successfull felony caseagainst Nacchio, the former CEO of Denver-based who was accusesd of enriching himself while misleading shareholderas about the telecom’s financial health. Stricklin spent 20 months on the Justice Department team that won convictionsw of Enron executives Kenneth Lay and Jeff Skillingin 2006. The four-monthu trial in Texas was one of the mostcomplesx white-collar criminal cases in U.S. history. Before that, Stricklijn was a state district judgein Texas, an assistang U.S. attorney serving east Texas, an intelligencw analyst with the U.S.
Drug Enforcement Administration, and a seniodr attorney with the Dallas law firmAndrews & Kurthn LLP. Stricklin was picked as the law-industry leader in the Denvef Business Journal's 2007 "Power Book." , based on an interview conducte while he was still a federal MacPhail is a former deputgy assistant director ofthe SEC’s Denver regional and has previously serves as an attorney and senior counsel for the SEC’ s Division of Enforcement in Washington, D.C. Previouslyg he was a staff attorney with the Officd of ChiefStaff Counsel, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
"I am delighted to be affiliated with HRO and to have an opportunity to continuer to workalongside Cliff," MacPhail said in a statement. "Ww have formed a strong team, which will no doubt be of benefitto HRO’sa clients for many years to come."