After Two Years, VA Gets Much-Needed IG

There's finally a permanent inspector general for the troubled Department of Veterans Affairs, since the last IG stepped down in December 2013.

Longtime K&L Gates partner Mike Missal was confirmed for the position by the Senate this week after being nominated by President Obama in October.

"Michael Missal is the tip of the spear to restore much-needed transparency and accountability at the VA Office of Inspector General," said Sen. Ron Johnson, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, in a statement after the confirmation.

Mike's been with K&L Gates for 29 years, recently as co-chair of the firm's policy and regulatory practice. (Above, he's at the far right during a rooftop reception in August welcoming recent additions to K&L Gates.)

His experience with investigations includes acting as lead counsel to the Examiner in the WorldCom bankruptcy proceedings, being appointed by the DOJ as the Examiner in the New Century Financial Corp bankruptcy proceeding, and assisting the Senate Select Committee on Ethics in the investigation of Sen. John Ensign. Before joining K&L Gates, he was SEC senior counsel and staff assistant to President Carter.

K&L Gates said in a statement, "We wish Mike the best as he embarks on this important and challenging return to public service." Mike's departure to a government post contrasts with a recent spate of prominent partner departures from K&L Gates to other law firms, including Morgan Lewis, Venable, Stradley Ronon, and Mayer Brown.