Power Players: Stepping Up

When President Obama nominated Michael Horowitz–a leader of the white-collar defense group at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft–to be inspector general at the Justice Department, he unknowingly opened up an opportunity for another prominent Washington lawyer.

Not wanting to be left in the lurch, Cadwalader lured Ken Wainstein from O’Melveny & Myers to help take Horowitz’s place. Wainstein started in April, just days after Horowitz (right) was confirmed as inspector general.

Wainstein’s background nearly mirrors Horowitz’s. Both were prosecutors in New York’s Southern District, and both held high-level positions at Justice.

One thing that likely didn’t match: Horowitz’s and Wainstein’s paychecks. Wainstein had practiced at O’Melveny since 2009. On average, partners there took home $1.73 million in 2011, according to the American Lawyer. At Cadwalader, the average partner made nearly $2.4 million.

Horowitz’s financial disclosure–a requirement for the Senate confirmation process–shows he made $4.6 million at Cadwalader, including bonuses, between 2010 and the first half of 2011.

This article appears in the May 2012 issue of The Washingtonian.