WASHINGTON, DC and NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Jan 24, 2014) - King & Spalding today announced a significant enhancement of its SEC enforcement and white collar criminal practices with the addition of partners Dixie L. Johnson in Washington, D.C., and William F. Johnson in New York. The two join King & Spalding from Fried Frank, where they co-headed the SEC enforcement and white collar criminal defense groups.

Christopher A. Wray, leader of King & Spalding's special matters and government investigations practice, said that "for some time we have sought to dramatically broaden our SEC enforcement capabilities and to expand our white-collar securities practice in the ever-important Southern District of New York. Dixie and Bill are exactly what we've been looking for."

Dixie Johnson is among the most prominent SEC enforcement defense practitioners in the country. She has dedicated her entire 27-year legal career to assisting financial services firms, public companies, professional service firms and individual executives in SEC investigations and related litigation matters. She currently serves as Chair of the American Bar Association's Business Law Section, and she is consistently recognized as a leading practitioner by Chambers, Legal 500 and other rating organizations. Over the course of her career, she has represented clients in some of the SEC's most sensitive and high-profile investigations.

Bill Johnson is also a nationally recognized SEC enforcement and white-collar defense lawyer, representing clients in both civil and criminal securities fraud investigations. He served a combined 17 years with the SEC's Division of Enforcement and the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, including four years as Chief and Deputy Chief of the Southern District's prestigious Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. He has repeatedly been recognized by Chambers and Legal 500 as a leader in this field, having played pivotal roles as either a prosecutor or defense lawyer in some of the highest-profile securities and white-collar cases in recent decades, including the criminal investigations of Bernard Madoff, Raj Rajaratnam, WorldCom, Refco and Adelphia.

"I have known and admired both Dixie and Bill since my earliest days as an SEC lawyer, when Dixie was an exceptional advocate for her clients and Bill was a valued friend and colleague on the SEC staff," said King & Spalding partner Russ Ryan, who joined the firm in 2004 after a 10-year career with the SEC. "I am thrilled that these two outstanding lawyers and friends have decided to join King & Spalding, greatly expanding the SEC enforcement capabilities and expertise we can offer to our clients."

The new partners join a government investigations and special matters practice that includes 36 veterans of posts at the U. S. Department of Justice and the SEC, including four former U.S. Attorneys, two former Chief Assistant U.S. Attorneys, and numerous former Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Justice Department trial lawyers. Wray, the practice leader, previously served as the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, and partner Gary Grindler rejoined the firm in 2013 from his role as acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General and Chief of Staff to Attorney General Eric Holder. 

"King & Spalding has an outstanding brand and a culture of credibility with the government that serves clients extremely well," Dixie Johnson said. "The firm has made a deliberate and strategic decision to build upon its government investigations practice as a principal area of focus, offering an ideal platform and opportunity for the type of work I have been doing throughout my career."

"I am excited to be joining the special matters and government investigations practice group at King & Spalding, and look forward to working with its strong team of lawyers to help clients navigate their legal challenges," Bill Johnson said. "King & Spalding's reputation for collegiality, integrity and strategic depth illustrates why the firm is home to so many top former prosecutors and has generated a distinctive repository of investigative and regulatory expertise. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to become a part of that story."

About King & Spalding
 Celebrating more than 125 years of service, King & Spalding is an international law firm that represents a broad array of clients, including half of the Fortune Global 100, with 800 lawyers in 17 offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm has handled matters in over 160 countries on six continents and is consistently recognized for the results it obtains, uncompromising commitment to quality and dedication to understanding the business and culture of its clients. More information is available at www.kslaw.com.