There’s no place like home.
At least, not for Sean Berkowitz, former head of the Justice Department’s Enron Task Force, who knew that he would be able to cherry-pick his next employer after wrapping up the epic Enron trial last year. He had served on the group since December 2003 and led it after July 2005; in that time, the task force extracted 16 guilty pleas and won five convictions, including those of the late founder and chairman Kenneth Lay and ex-CEO Jeffrey Skilling.
But when Berkowitz finally decided upon his next job, one pull was stronger than the others: family. After spending most of the previous three years living in Washington and Houston, and traveling extensively to New York City and California, he chose to return to his hometown of Chicago. The single 39-year-old is now a partner in the litigation department at Latham & Watkins.
In his new position the Harvard-trained lawyer will be switching sides, advising corporations on criminal and securities issues. He hopes to be worked into the trial practice as well but stresses that he doesn’t want to pigeonhole himself. His extensive experience and skills -- sharp judgment and specialized knowledge of corporate criminal law -- are not limited to white-collar cases, he says.
In the meantime, says Berkowitz, “It is nice to sleep in my own bed again.”
