Former Morgan Stanley Compliance Chief Yanes Rejoins Davis Polk

Raul Yanes, a former chief compliance officer and head of non-financial risk at Morgan Stanley and former White House senior official, is heading back to Davis Polk & Wardwell as chair of its white-collar defense and investigations practice.

Yanes will rejoin the firm next month as a partner in its New York office, the firm announced on Tuesday.

“Raul is an exceptional litigator and colleague, and the unique perspective he has from his time in senior roles in both the private sector and government is a significant asset to our clients,” said Davis Polk managing partner Neil Barr in a statement. “I am thrilled to welcome him back to the firm,” he said.

Yanes began his legal career at Davis Polk in 1993, before becoming partner in 1999. In 2003, he was named associate counsel to President George W. Bush and, two years later, became senior counsel to then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. He later served as general counsel to the Office of Budget and Management and, in 2006, became staff secretary and assistant to President Bush

He rejoined Davis Polk in 2009, serving as head of its white-collar practice and Washington office. He represented clients in government investigations, including by the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission and Congress, and has conducted numerous internal investigations.

Yanes left Davis Polk in 2017 to become Morgan Stanley’s chief compliance officer, replacing William “Billy” Fenrich, also a former Davis Polk partner, who left to join Greenwich-based hedge fund, AQR Capital. Fenrich now serves as general counsel of Rockefeller Capital Management.

Davis Polk has long had close ties to Morgan Stanley. The banking giant’s current legal chief is Eric Grossman, a former Davis Polk partner. Grossman took on Morgan Stanley’s top legal role in 2012 from Frank Barron, who held the role for 18 months after succeeding Gary Lynch, another former Davis Polk partner.

Yanes’ role at Morgan Stanley was expanded to include responsibility for the bank’s Global Financial Crimes and Operational Risk Departments. In 2022, he was appointed to the newly created role of Head of Non-Financial Risk and appointed to Morgan Stanley’s operating committee, its senior-most executive body.

“Davis Polk is an extraordinary firm,” Yanes said in statement. “I am excited to return home and collaborate with my phenomenal colleagues on the white collar team as we help our clients navigate their most critical matters,” he said.