Rome News-Tribune

Former US Attorney BJay Pak is returning to private law practice

- By Dave Williams

ATLANTA — The U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia throughout the Trump administra­tion is moving back to private practice.

Byung J. “BJay” Pak will rejoin Alston & Bird as a partner in its Litigation & Trial Practice Group next month, the Atlantabas­ed firm announced Thursday.

“BJay is a gifted attorney, dedicated public servant, and a leader of considerab­le experience and skill,” Alston & Bird Chairman and Managing Partner Richard Hays said. “He brings additional stature and deepens our reputation as a leading choice for internal investigat­ion counsel, white-collar defense, and other complex civil and criminal litigation.”

Pak was sworn in as a U.S. attorney in October 2017, becoming the country’s first Korean American to hold the post. He resigned from the Justice Department early this month, reportedly because he refused to pursue unfounded claims of fraud in

Georgia stemming from the Nov. 3 election.

From 2011 until 2017, Pak served in the Georgia House of Representa­tives representi­ng a district in Gwinnett County.

As the chief federal law enforcemen­t officer for 46 counties in North Georgia,

Pak oversaw all criminal and civil matters and supervised more than 100 assistant U.S. attorneys.

Under his leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted significan­t cases related to insider trading, domestic and internatio­nal corruption, financial fraud and cybersecur­ity.

Pak began his career at Alston & Bird in 2000, where he focused on complex litigation and government investigat­ions. Two years later, he was named assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Georgia, prosecutin­g money laundering, intellectu­al property, and white-collar crimes.

 ??  ?? Byung J. “BJay” Pak
Byung J. “BJay” Pak

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