A sidebar with Kenneth R. Chadwell.

Byline: kcaplan@mi.lawyersweekly.com

Kenneth R. Chadwell, a former assistant U. S. attorney, recently joined Mantese Honigman PC in Troy as a partner. He focuses his practice on white collar criminal defense, federal grand jury investigations, national security matters, and corporate compliance and investigations, among others.

Chadwell spoke with Michigan Lawyers Weekly about his career, and his decision to move to private practice.

You spent decades with the U.S. Department of Justice, including serving as deputy chief of national security. What led you to return to the private sector?

My career was fascinating, dramatic, and personally satisfying on many levels, and I was proud to represent the United States for so many years. Serving as an assistant U.S. attorney was an honor. It became part of my DNA/identity and was psychologically hard to relinquish.

My longtime friend Gerard Mantese persuaded me that my experience and skills would be quite valuable to the private sector, and he offered me a chance to be a partner in his law firm. A new adventure and a chance to work with some old friends on important matters motivated me to make the move. As it says in the book of Ecclesiastes, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."

You were one of five federal litigators selected to be a counter-terrorism prosecutor following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. What was the experience like?

Following the terrorist attacks, the country was unexpectedly at war. Within the Department of Justice, terrorism units were formed across the country. The instructions from Washington were that the "best of the best" should be assigned to terrorism investigations. This was a singular opportunity to implement foreign policy in the courtroom and participate in the "Global War on Terrorism."

Then-U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins selected me to serve in the newly formed counter-terrorism unit (CTU) where I remained for the next eight years. I will forever be grateful to Mr. Collins for this honor; the landscape of my legal practice was changed forever.

CTU attorneys regularly viewed classified information on terrorism targets, informed Washington of developments daily and often hourly, and were scrutinized on every action by the media and special interest organizations. The work was highly stressful and sometimes dangerous, but invigorating and worthwhile. The Detroit CTU amassed quite a litany of successes in the wake...