WilmerHale announced today that Brian Boynton will assume the role of Chair of the firm’s Regulatory and Government Affairs Department, succeeding Jamie Gorelick at the beginning of 2026. Gorelick will be stepping down from the Chairmanship after 11 years, having built and led the nation’s pre-eminent practice in this area. She will continue at the firm, representing clients and individuals in a wide array of matters, particularly in the regulatory and enforcement arenas.
Boynton, who currently chairs WilmerHale’s Government and Regulatory Litigation Practice, is among the nation’s foremost litigators and brings deep experience navigating complex government, regulatory, and commercial litigation and investigations both in private practice and in government. He first joined WilmerHale 23 years ago and most recently rejoined the firm in 2025 after serving as head of the Civil Division of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) for four years. During his tenure leading the Civil Division, Boynton oversaw 1,100 lawyers and handled some of the most important matters facing the government, including False Claims Act and consumer protection enforcement, Administrative Procedure Act challenges to agency regulations and actions, government contracts litigation, environmental and other tort actions against the United States, and international trade litigation. His public service also includes prior roles at DOJ as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Counsel and as a Counselor to the Attorney General.
In private practice, Boynton has been a leader in challenging governmental regulations and agency actions, counseling clients facing novel legal threats, and defending clients against government enforcement actions and investigations, including both agency and congressional investigations. He has handled litigation and investigations across industries and subject matters, including anti-discrimination, higher education, fraud, antitrust, national security, environmental, and healthcare.
As Chair of the Department, Boynton will lead a deep bench of talented lawyers and advocates who are widely regarded as among the premier professionals working at the intersection of law, policy, regulation, and government engagements. Recognized for operating at the forefront of legal, political, and regulatory developments, WilmerHale’s practice is uniquely positioned to anticipate trends, shape strategy, and deliver exceptional results for clients through their most complex and consequential challenges. Boynton’s appointment ensures that the Department will preserve its longstanding strength and build on its reputation for excellence in the years ahead.
“Brian embodies the best of WilmerHale, with his strong commitment to government service and the unique strategic insights and expertise he provides our clients,” said WilmerHale’s Managing Partner Anjan Sahni. “He steps into this role with extraordinary experience, vision, and gravitas. I can think of no one better poised to guide the Regulatory and Government Affairs Department into its next era.”
“I am deeply honored to assume this role, particularly at such a critical time for our clients,” said Brian Boynton. “Jamie has been an extraordinary leader of this Department and left an indelible mark on all of the lawyers and professionals in the Department. On a personal level, I am grateful for her guidance and support over so many years. I look forward to working with her and our talented colleagues to continue to deliver exceptional counsel and strategic insight for our clients facing the most consequential government-facing matters.”
Considered by many to be the first among legal “crisis mangers,” Gorelick is a highly respected litigator whose career spans senior roles in government, law, corporate governance, and national security. Among her many accomplishments, Gorelick served as Deputy Attorney General of the United States – among the longest serving in the second highest position in the DOJ – and as General Counsel of the Department of Defense, where she played a key role in shaping defense legal policy. In private practice, she has been a go-to advisor in high-stakes regulatory, enforcement, and congressional matters and has earned some of the profession’s highest honors, including multiple “Lawyer of the Year” awards, top-tier listings in Chambers, Best Lawyers, and The American Lawyer’s “Lifetime Achiever” award (in 2018).
“In her over two decades with the firm, Jamie has built a Department whose reputation is unmatched in the legal community,” said WilmerHale Managing Partner Anjan Sahni. “Her intellect, judgment, and dedication to public service have set a gold standard and have inspired generations of lawyers across the firm and the profession. Our firm and clients will continue to benefit from Jamie’s unmatched expertise.”
“It has been a privilege to lead this extraordinary team and advocate fiercely for our clients over the past more than twenty years,” said Jamie Gorelick. “Brian is the right person to take the baton. In government and at the firm, he has demonstrated his deep understanding of the intersection of law and policy as it is expressed in litigation, regulation, and public policy, as well as congressional inquiries and state enforcement. He will lead our Department forward with distinction. I look forward to continuing to work with him and the rest of the exceptionally talented lawyers at WilmerHale.”