Morrison & Foerster Hires Justice Department Fraud Veteran Kidd

Morrison & Foerster snapped up Brian K. Kidd, an 11-year veteran of the U.S. Department of Justice, where he oversaw market manipulation, insider trading, and cryptocurrency probes and led the investigation into defective auto airbag supplier Takata Corp.

He will represent clients in white collar defense cases and global investigations, Morrison & Foerster said in a statement Monday. The firm has been expanding those practices, especially its Foreign Corrupt Practices Act representation.

“Brian brings deep insights into government investigations and enforcement in cutting-edge areas,” said James Koukios, co-chair of the firm’s securities litigation, enforcement, and white collar defense group.

Kidd becomes the seventh former senior Justice official to join the firm’s Washington office. He follows Koukios, Charles Duross, Lisa Phelan, John Carlin, David Newman and Robert Litt.

John Smith, the former director of the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, has also previously joined Morrison & Foerster.

Kidd joined Justice in 2009, working as a trial attorney in the public integrity section, an assistant U.S. attorney in Puerto Rico and in several positions in the criminal division.

During his tenure as chief of Justice’s market integrity and major frauds unit, Kidd supervised roughly 40 prosecutors working on issues such as spoofing, money laundering, bribery, and procurement fraud.

He led the investigation into Takata, which reached a $1 billion settlement with Justice, according to his Georgetown Law bio. Takata supplied defective airbag inflators that were linked to at least 23 deaths worldwide and more than 200 injuries in the U.S., resulting in the largest-ever auto recall, according to Bloomberg News.

His experience will “enable Brian to guide our clients through complex, multijurisdictional investigations,” said Koukios, who is also global co-head of the firm’s FCPA + Anti-Corruption practice.

Kidd said in the statement he’s excited to join an “established and highly respected team of government investigations and enforcement litigators.”