Melinda Haag on Living in the Present and Being a Mother in Big Law

On March 1, Melinda Haag will become the head of Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe’s global litigation department.

The departing U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California took an interview with Big Law Business, covering her views on switching sides from government to private practice, being a mother in Big Law and climbing the ranks of a big firm.

Below is an edited transcript of our discussion.

Big Law Business: What prompted your move to Orrick?

Haag: As the end of the administration approaches, the presidential appointees tend to step down and it seemed to me that it was the right time. The ...