Former special counsel Robert Mueller is returning to his Washington, D.C., law firm months after his special counsel investigation found that the Trump campaign did not coordinate any activities with Russia during the 2016 presidential election.
On Tuesday, WilmerHale announced Mueller’s return to the firm that he left in 2017 to serve as special counsel.
“I’m glad to be at WilmerHale once again, a firm with a tradition of honoring public service,” Mueller said in a statement through the law firm. “It was an honor to serve as special counsel. Now, I look forward to resuming my private practice alongside the talented lawyers at the firm.”
“We couldn’t be happier to have Bob, our extraordinary friend and colleague, return to WilmerHale,” Robert Novick, co-managing partner of WilmerHale, said in a statement. “Few lawyers have been entrusted with as many matters of national significance as Bob, in both his public service and in private practice. Bob embodies the highest values of our firm and profession. We’re privileged to work alongside him once again.”
Mueller joined the firm in 2014 as a partner following his tenure as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Two of the former special counsel’s investigators — Aaron Zebley and James Quarles — are rejoining the firm as partners as well.
Mueller resigned as special counsel in May 2019, weeks after releasing his long-awaited report, which killed the hopes of conspiracy theorists who believed that Trump was a type of Manchurian Candidate doing the bidding of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In July, Mueller testified before the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committee on his report. His performance drew ire from critics, who accused him of stonewalling lawmakers with one-word answers or by refusing to expand on matters outside the scope of his investigation. His frail appearance also took observers by surprise.