Former Sen. Howard Baker Jr. (R-Tenn.), the U.S. ambassador to Japan since 2001 and a former Senate Republican Leader, has returned to his former law and lobbying firm, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, which originally was founded by his grandfather.

Baker, 79, plans to focus on public policy and international matters. He was not available for comment.

John Tuck, a colleague at the firm, said that Baker would work primarily out of the firm’s Tennessee offices, though he will also travel to Washington when needed.

In recent months, Baker Donelson has tried to woo big names to its lobbying practice, such as now-retired Sen. John Breaux (D-La.). Ultimately, Breaux chose to join a rival firm, Patton Boggs.

Baker Donelson’s roster currently includes such Washington veterans as Tuck, Keith Kennedy and Linda Daschle, who is married to former Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.).

“We’re delighted he’s back,” said Tuck. “He brings a wealth of experience and service to the nation. It helps to have a flagship, a big standard bearer. He’s an institution. It helps keep us on the map.”

In 1973, Baker served as vice chairman of the Senate’s Watergate committee. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the GOP presidential nomination in 1980.

Baker is married to former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker (R-Kan.).

In other K Street moves, Cassidy & Associates has added two lobbyists to its roster: Mark Hegarty and Lisa Bos, both as senior associates.

Hegarty was most recently a senior policy analyst with SAIC in Arlington, Va. Before that, he spent 22 years in the Air Force as a command pilot. At Cassidy, he will focus on federal marketing.

Bos, 30, had been a staff member on the House Republican Study Committee. She will focus on education and health care.