Ex-Ninth Circuit Judge Watford Joins Wilson Sonsini in L.A.

Former Ninth Circuit Judge Paul J. Watford has joined law firm Wilson Sonsini as partner, giving up a lifetime appointment on the largest federal appeals court after serving 11 years.

Watford, an Obama appointee to the San Francisco-based court, announced plans to resign in January and officially left in May. He joins Wilson Sonsini’s litigation department and will be based in the firm’s Los Angeles office.

“At age 55, I had to look ahead and ask myself if I wanted to stay on the circuit court,” Watford said in an interview. “I always loved being a lawyer before getting on ...