Davis Polk today announced that preeminent white collar practitioner and former senior government official Neil MacBride has rejoined the firm as a partner in Washington DC. Mr. MacBride, who will become co-chair of Davis Polk’s White Collar Defense & Investigations practice, returns to the firm after serving for more than two years as General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Treasury, where he advised on a wide range of domestic and international priorities critical to the United States.

“We are thrilled to welcome Neil back to the firm,” said Neil Barr, Davis Polk’s Managing Partner. “Neil’s combination of extensive experience in senior government roles and many years as one of the leading white collar defense practitioners and trial lawyers is unmatched. He will be a key member of our distinguished white collar practice and invaluable to clients trusting Davis Polk with their critical investigations and enforcement matters and most sensitive business and legal matters.”

At Davis Polk, Mr. MacBride will again represent clients in high-stakes white collar matters, including trials, government enforcement actions, and congressional and internal investigations, as well as complex civil litigation and regulatory matters. He also will help to further develop the firm’s national security investigations practice, representing clients in matters relating to CFIUS, anti-money laundering, sanctions and export controls.

Appointed by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate, Mr. MacBride was sworn in as General Counsel of the Treasury Department on February 22, 2022. In this role, Mr. MacBride served as the chief legal officer of the Department and the principal legal adviser to the Secretary of Treasury and senior leaders on a wide range of issues relating to domestic finance, terrorism finance, financial crimes enforcement, international economic affairs and tax policy. He also served as head of the Treasury Legal Division, supervising more than 2,000 attorneys across the Department. In 2024, Secretary Janet Yellen presented Mr. MacBride with the Alexander Hamilton Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Treasury Department.

Mr. MacBride joined the Department after eight years as a Davis Polk litigation partner, during which time he co-led the firm’s White Collar Defense & Investigations practice and served as head of the Washington DC office.

“Neil is one of the country’s most respected lawyers, and what distinguishes Neil is the breadth of issues for which clients rely on his advice, whether criminal, civil or regulatory, and whether in a courtroom, with government agencies or in the halls of Congress,” said Greg Andres, co-head of Davis Polk’s White Collar Defense & Investigations practice. “We are delighted that he has rejoined our team and look forward to working alongside him to help clients through their most pressing issues.”

“I am grateful for my time at Treasury and honored to have had the opportunity to serve under Secretary Yellen,” Mr. MacBride said. “Davis Polk is a very special firm. Our white collar and government investigations lawyers are exceptional, and I am thrilled to again call them my colleagues. I look forward to helping clients navigate the complex legal and regulatory landscape and working with them to find effective solutions.”

Prior to originally joining Davis Polk in 2014, Mr. MacBride served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. During his tenure as U.S. Attorney, he led the office in bringing cases of national and international significance, involving financial fraud, international corruption, copyright infringement and trade secret theft, defense procurement fraud, money laundering, terrorism and cybersecurity.

Before his appointment as U.S. Attorney, Mr. MacBride served as Associate Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice in 2009. He also served as Chief Counsel and Staff Director for then-Senator Biden from 2001 to 2005 on the Senate Judiciary Committee. From 1997 to 2001, Mr. MacBride served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia. During his time as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and as U.S. Attorney for EDVA, he conducted more than 25 jury trials.

Earlier in his career, Mr. MacBride served as General Counsel of the Business Software Alliance, an international trade association for the hardware and software industry.

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