It didn’t take long for Paul McNulty to find a soft landing downtown. The former U.S. deputy attorney general — the department’s No. 2 slot — announced his resignation amid the U.S. attorney scandal in May, citing the “financial realities of college-age children.” He will join Baker & McKenzie on Sept. 1 as a partner. [IMGCAP(1)]

McNulty, who is the primary author of the McNulty Memo, a Justice Department document that set out revised guidelines for prosecuting corporate fraud, is expected to play a leadership role in Baker & McKenzie’s business crimes and investigations and corporate compliance and risk management practices.

“One of the things I hope to communicate to the clients is that problems usually have a lot of different faces, not just legal,” McNulty said. “I feel like there will be an opportunity to provide a broader range of advice and services than most lawyers are able to offer.”

McNulty is the first big Department of Justice hire for the firm. He’ll be working as a liaison to Congress and the DOJ, and he will help with public relations issues for clients under investigation. He said he will not lobby.

McNulty has a long history as a government servant, spending 11 years working for Congress. He was chief counsel and director of legislative operations for former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas). He also served an eight-year stint as a House Judiciary Committee staffer, including four years as chief counsel to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime.

— Anna Palmer