Former Presidential Adviser for Homeland Security Fran Townsend Joins Baker Botts L.L.P.

WASHINGTON - New Partner to Lead Firm’s Global Security and Corporate Risk Counseling Practice

Fran Townsend, who served as the top homeland security adviser to former President George W. Bush for nearly four years, joined Baker Botts L.L.P. today as a partner in the Firm’s Washington, D.C. office.

Townsend will lead a Global Security and Corporate Risk Counseling practice, focusing on homeland and national security issues. In addition to strategic security counseling and risk management, her practice will include advising on issues in international transactions subject to CFIUS review, government investigations and matters involving electronic privacy and information security.

“Fran’s perspective and experience at the highest levels of government will provide our clients around the world with a special resource to help solve unusually difficult problems,” said Baker Botts Managing Partner Walt Smith.

Townsend started her career as an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn before being recruited by Rudolph Giuliani to join the organized crime unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan. She moved to the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington in 1991, where she held a series of senior positions, including as an adviser to Attorney General Janet Reno and head of the Justice Department’s Office of Intelligence Policy and Review.

From May 2004 through January 2008, Townsend served as Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, heading the White House Office of Homeland Security. In that capacity, she chaired the Homeland Security Council (HSC). Between May 2003 and May 2004, she served as Deputy National Security Adviser for Combating Terrorism.

Upon her departure from government, President Bush remarked that Townsend had “always provided wise counsel on how best to protect the American people from the threat of terrorism…We are safer today because of her leadership.”

Jamie Baker, Partner in Charge of Baker Botts’ Washington office, said that “Fran is recognized as an international leader in homeland security and national security issues with an exceptionally strong background in law enforcement. Throughout her tenure in the White House, she effectively ran the HSC and briefed President Bush and Cabinet officers daily on matters relating to homeland security, terrorism and intelligence. She acquired and honed her skills through many years of public service during some of the most difficult times in our nation’s history. We are very fortunate and pleased to have her join us.”

Townsend graduated cum laude from American University with a B.A. in political science and a B.S. in psychology. She received her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law. She has attended the Institute on International and Comparative Law in London and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She has taught trial advocacy at Harvard and Pace University. She is admitted to practice law in Washington, D.C., California and New York.

Additional information on Fran Townsend is available here. (www.bakerbotts.com/lawyers/detail.aspx?id=ceec3b42-66c0-497a-883f-1bf4eb980607)

Additional information about the Washington, D.C. office of Baker Botts is available here. (www.bakerbotts.com/offices/office.aspx?id=24a7ae9d-0a15-4d46-9d1d-e2c9a68b6df9)

About Baker Botts L.L.P.

Baker Botts L.L.P., dating from 1840, is a leading international law firm with offices in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Dubai, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Moscow, New York, Palo Alto (California), Riyadh and Washington. With approximately 800 lawyers, Baker Botts provides a full range of legal services to international, national and regional clients. For more information, please visit www.bakerbotts.com.

Source: Baker Botts L.L.P.

Michael Cinelli, Associate Director, Public Relations of Baker Botts L.L.P., office, +1-713-229-1764, cell, +1-281-546-4295, mike.cinelli at bakerbotts.com