Travis LeBlanc, a former associate at Keker & Van Nest in San Francisco, has accepted a position with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel in Washington, D.C. The office, known as the “president’s law firm,” drafts legal opinions of the U.S. Attorney General and provides advice to the Counsel to the President and various agencies of the executive branch. LeBlanc began his position as an attorney-advisor in the office on June 8.

“OLC is a great place for a young, idealistic lawyer—particularly after the last eight years,” said John Keker. “We loved working with Travis and hope he comes back after his stint in public service.”

President Barack Obama has nominated University of Indiana Law Professor Dawn Johnsen as the assistant attorney general to lead the office.

LeBlanc obtained a Master of Laws in international law from the University of Cambridge in 2004. The previous year LeBlanc received his Juris Doctorate from Yale Law School, where he was an editor on the Yale Law & Policy Review, Yale Journal of International Law and Yale Journal on Regulation. He also received, in 2003, a Master of Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, from which he was awarded a Kennedy Fellowship. LeBlanc graduated with honors from Princeton University with an A.B. in philosophy, politics and economics in 1999.

Prior to joining Keker & Van Nest in 2007, LeBlanc worked as an associate at Williams & Connolly in Washington, D.C., where his practice focused on criminal defense, international law and commercial litigation. He is also a former law clerk to the Hon. Stephen Reinhardt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.