Christopher DiPompeo A longtime Jones Day attorney who helped represent the firm in a suit lodged by two former associates over its parental leave policy has joined Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, where he'll co-chair the bankruptcy litigation practice, Willkie announced Tuesday.

Christopher DiPompeo joined Willkie's office in Washington, D.C., as a partner, the firm said. A former clerk for U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts, DiPompeo spent the past 13 years with Jones Day, according to his LinkedIn profile.

DiPompeo works with distressed-situation litigation, the firm said, and represents creditors, debtors and equity holders in corporate reorganization matters, in a range of industries.

He counsels clients and represents them in litigation related to liability management exercises, and advises manufacturing clients in disputes with distressed suppliers and customers, both inside and outside bankruptcy, the firm said.

DiPompeo was a member of the Jones Day legal team that defended the firm from a suit brought by former associates who claimed its family leave policy's allowance of an additional eight weeks of paid family leave for mothers was discriminatory toward fathers.

Some of his other representative matters have included representing equity holder Exploration Capital Fund LP in the Chapter 11 case of Silvergate Capital, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre in another bankruptcy matter.

DiPompeo didn't respond to a question about his experience representing Jones Day in-house. He said he wanted to move his practice to Willkie because it is "a preeminent firm with an outstanding reputation for both restructuring and litigation," and because of its "multidisciplinary and collaborative approach to client matters."

He's worked alongside a number of the firm's partners previously, including Mark Stancil, a co-chair of Willkie's bankruptcy litigation practice, he said.

"Together with Mark Stancil and Ben McCallen, my fellow co-chairs of the bankruptcy litigation practice, we are excited to lead the firm's charge in providing clients in distressed situations with dedicated bankruptcy litigation counsel," he said. "Many firms bring in litigators to work on bankruptcy matters, but our practice is focused specifically on bankruptcy litigation work, which makes us unique among other firms."

Stancil said in an email Tuesday the firm has been investing in litigators with DiPompeo's experience.

"Chris brings significant experience and bench strength to our bankruptcy litigation practice. He is an outstanding bankruptcy litigator and leader who brings a unique level of bankruptcy litigation experience on significant high-profile restructurings that is unmatched in the field," Stancil said.

A University of Pennsylvania Law School graduate, DiPompeo clerked for Judge Paul Niemeyer on the Fourth Circuit, then for Justice Roberts, before joining Jones Day as an associate in 2012, according to his LinkedIn profile.