King & Spalding Expands Its Complex Litigation Practice in Washington, D.C. With Addition of Bobby R. Burchfield and Matthew M. Leland as Partners

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - March 23, 2015) - Broadening its civil litigation presence in Washington, D.C., King & Spalding has recruited noted trial lawyer Bobby R. Burchfield and litigator Matthew M. Leland as partners to its complex litigation practice. They join King & Spalding from McDermott Will & Emery, where both lawyers were partners and Burchfield previously served as head of complex litigation, co-head of the Washington office, and member of the Management Committee.

"Few large firms actually try cases, but we are one of them. Bobby has impressive experience and is an excellent fit for our firm. We are pleased to welcome Bobby and Matt," said Robert D. Hays, Jr., chairman of King & Spalding.

Robert E. Meadows, leader of King & Spalding's business litigation practice group, said: "The arrival of Bobby and Matt adds to our roster of experienced trial lawyers and enhances our ability to serve the needs of our clients on a broad range of litigation issues. The breadth of their experience in the courtroom, cutting across numerous areas of law and industries, make them valuable resources for both clients and firm lawyers, particularly in our pharmaceutical, life sciences, healthcare, energy and government investigations practices, where these two partners have vast experience."

Burchfield has more than 30 years of experience in complex corporate litigation. He has been lead defense counsel for major clients in antitrust, securities, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, class action and corporate takeover defense litigation. Burchfield has the added distinction of never having lost a jury trial. In addition to jury trials, he has extensive experience in bench trials, arbitrations and appeals. He has argued in five U.S. Courts of Appeals, as well as before the U.S. Supreme Court, where he represented the Republican National Committee in a First Amendment challenge to the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law (McConnell v. Federal Election Commission) and represented now Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in the successful First Amendment challenge to aggregate contribution limits (McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission). Burchfield was appointed by President George W. Bush to the Antitrust Modernization Commission, and served as General Counsel to President George H.W. Bush's reelection campaign. He received a B.A. degree from Wake Forest University and his J.D. degree from George Washington University Law School.

Leland, for the past 10 years, has litigated cases in federal and state courts, arbitrated disputes and represented clients involved in federal agency investigations. His clients have spanned industries including energy, health care, pharmaceutical, high-technology, construction and architecture. Leland served as legislative director to John E. Sununu in the U.S. House of Representatives and was his senior policy advisor in the U.S. Senate. He also was the deputy campaign manager of Sununu's successful first congressional campaign and a member of his transition team. He received a B.A. degree from the University of New Hampshire and his J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center. 

"Bobby and Matt are outstanding additions to our talented Washington civil litigation team, and we look forward to their help in expanding this group," said Wick Sollers, managing partner of King & Spalding's Washington office. "Our vision is to be one of a very few elite firms that major corporations retain to defend or prosecute their most challenging, complex, and high-exposure disputes."

Burchfield said: "Matt and I know the firm well, and we admire its team culture and emphasis on high performance. The strength of its regulatory and government investigations practices, plus its preeminent reputation in litigation, persuaded us that King & Spalding provides the right opportunity for us." 

About King & Spalding
Celebrating more than 125 years of service, King & Spalding is an international law firm that represents a broad array of clients, including half of the Fortune Global 100, with 800 lawyers in 17 offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm has handled matters in over 160 countries on six continents and is consistently recognized for the results it obtains, uncompromising commitment to quality and dedication to understanding the business and culture of its clients. More information is available at www.kslaw.com.