Paul Hastings Adds Powerhouse Litigation Partner John Buretta

NEW YORK – Paul Hastings LLP today announced the addition of preeminent litigation partner and former senior U.S. Department of Justice official John D. Buretta in New York.

Joining from Cravath, Swaine & Moore, where he was a partner for more than 12 years, Buretta is one of the nation’s top litigators. He has represented leading companies in high-stakes, bet-the-company complex disputes in industries including banking, consumer products and transportation, among others.

At Paul Hastings, Buretta joins, and shall become the co-chair of, an elite Litigation department that has expanded with nearly 50 top-tier partner additions across practice areas globally over the past four years.

“John is widely recognized as one of the best litigators of his generation – a powerhouse whose deep government roots and strategic mindset make him a formidable force for clients facing bet-the-company disputes,” said firm Global Managing Partner Sherrese Smith. “His ability to navigate the most complex, high-stakes litigation matters is why he remains a trusted adviser to boards and global enterprises alike. His arrival moves our already top-of-market Litigation practice to another level and further demonstrates that Paul Hastings is a destination for elite talent.”

Buretta represents corporate and individual clients in a broad range of consequential legal matters, including complex litigation, securities litigation, internal investigations, regulatory enforcement, intellectual property disputes, compliance, shareholder demands and civil proceedings. His clients include global companies, boards, audit committees, directors, owners, senior management, and in-house counsel across sectors comprising banking, energy, communications, technology, consumer goods, mining, transport, healthcare and pharmaceuticals. Buretta has also served as an independent monitor in separate appointments by the DOJ and the Department of Transportation.

Before returning to private practice, Buretta spent more than 10 years at the DOJ. Most recently, he was the number two in the Criminal Division, serving as principal deputy assistant attorney general and chief of staff. In this role, he managed 600 prosecutors working on cases related to corporate fraud, FCPA violations, insider trading, healthcare fraud, money laundering, the Bank Secrecy Act, trade sanctions, asset forfeiture, cybercrime, intellectual property theft and public corruption, among other crimes.

Prior to joining the Criminal Division, Buretta served for nearly a decade as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

Buretta is Chambers-ranked in Litigation – USA and Global, Legal 500 and Benchmark Litigation, and has been named Global Investigations Review’s Investigations Professional of the Year and included in Securities Docket’s Enforcement Elite list. During his federal service, Buretta received numerous DOJ commendations, such as the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service, the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Director’s Award for Excellence.

“Paul Hastings offers a unique opportunity to combine my broad and deep experience in materially significant legal challenges, complex litigation, investigations, regulatory enforcement and compliance matters, shareholder demands and civil disputes with a global platform recognized for its innovative approach to litigation in virtually any jurisdiction,” said Buretta. “I look forward to joining forces with the firm’s dynamic team to help our clients navigate their most sensitive trial, regulatory and compliance issues worldwide.”  

About Paul Hastings
With widely recognized elite teams across 17 core practices, Paul Hastings is a premier law firm with a culture of excellence focused on providing intellectual capital and superior execution globally to the world’s leading investment banks, asset managers and corporations.