WASHINGTON — Jan. 5, 2026
Key takeaways
- Steven Dettelbach, who rejoined BakerHostetler after his third stint of government service, officially becomes head of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. He succeeds Ray Whitman, who grew the litigation group into a 420-attorney-strong practice across 18 offices.
- A nationally known litigator and trial lawyer with more than 30 years of experience, Dettelbach was director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) prior to rejoining BakerHostetler. He previously served more than six years as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
- BakerHostetler’s legacy as top trial lawyers continues, as it handles numerous high-profile matters, including ongoing lawsuits tied to recovery of funds from the Bernard Madoff investment scandal, recent cases involving California wildfires and matters involving the opioid crisis.
Why this matters
With litigators in 18 offices across the United States, BakerHostetler’s Litigation Practice Group has been named by BTI Litigation Outlook as an Intimidating Opponent for five straight years. The group is regularly acknowledged as a top practice by Chambers, U.S. News & World Report, Legal 500, Law360, Global Investigations Review and others.
Over the past 21 years, outgoing litigation chair Whitman has built a strong bench of trial lawyers that includes former prosecutors, skilled civil litigators and former enforcement officials from numerous government agencies. The firm is often called on for assistance with high-stakes disputes, from financial frauds such as the Madoff case to the representation of businesses and even foreign nations in challenging commercial disputes under the laws of 60 nations and representing blue-chip companies, boards and executives in criminal investigations, enforcement actions and trials.
Dettelbach looks to continue growing the group and harnessing world-class legal talent and technology to keep the firm at the forefront in representing clients in complex cases and government investigations.
Key quote
“Clients come to BakerHostetler when they have a big matter that requires a tough fight. And that is why I came back again too. Having been a partner at BakerHostetler three times and for a decade, I know the BakerHostetler team is trial-tested and hungry to take on the most challenging disputes in any venue and jurisdiction for our clients,” said Dettelbach. “We can scale up to handle the largest, most complex cases anywhere in the world but also understand that every client and every case are worth fighting for. Our litigators have been at the forefront of using data analytics and artificial intelligence to advance our clients’ interests. BakerHostetler’s litigation practice thrived under Ray Whitman’s leadership largely because of his vision as a true trial lawyer. I look forward to the firm continuing that trajectory.”
About Dettelbach
Dettelbach is a highly experienced trial attorney who has tried almost 40 cases in courts all over the United States. His cases include white collar criminal defense, bet-the-company civil cases, Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory enforcement matters, and sensitive internal investigations.
Dettelbach rejoined BakerHostetler last year, after serving as ATF director from July 2022 to January 2025. He led the $1.7 billion, 5,300-person agency at the Department of Justice and worked closely with state and local law enforcement to solve homicides and investigate violent crimes. Under his leadership, national statistics on violent crime significantly decreased three years in a row. Dettelbach was recognized for leading ATF efforts to curb gang violence and illegal gun trafficking.
Dettelbach was a BakerHostetler partner twice before, and from 2009 to 2016, he served as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. Prior to entering private practice in 2006, he served as counsel with the Senate Judiciary Committee and worked as a decorated career prosecutor at both the Department of Justice and three separate U.S. attorney’s offices.
A native of Cleveland, Dettelbach earned his J.D. in 1991 from Harvard Law School, magna cum laude, where he served as senior notes editor of the Harvard Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Law Review. He graduated summa cum laude with his A.B. in government from Dartmouth College in 1988 and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Key Quotes
“We were thrilled to have Steve rejoin us last year and are excited that he will now lead our national Litigation Practice Group,” said BakerHostetler Chairman Paul Schmidt. “His career as an elite litigator with experience directing law enforcement policy and investigations both in government and in private practice makes him an ideal successor to lead our firmwide litigation department. Ray Whitman deserves tremendous recognition for building our robust platform in recent years – we’re glad he remains an integral part of our firm as a practicing trial lawyer and trusted business adviser.”
“It has been an honor to serve as chair of the Litigation Practice Group, a job made easier by the dedicated and experienced lawyers in the group guiding clients through complex matters and trials,” said Whitman. “I know our group is in exceptionally good hands with Steve at the helm. He brings outstanding experience in private practice and in the public sector, along with first-rate leadership skills to steer the practice.”
With more than 420 litigators in offices coast to coast, BakerHostetler’s Litigation Practice Group represents market-leading clients in virtually every type of case and proceeding, nationally and around the world. The group’s roster of litigators includes former prosecutors, veteran civil trial lawyers and former enforcement officials from various government agencies. Recognized as a go-to law firm for its deep bench, commitment to client needs and tenacity and named by BTI five years in a row as Most Feared in Litigation, BakerHostetler’s Litigation Practice Group successfully protects clients in and out of the courtroom. For more information, visit bakerlaw.com/Litigation. Connect with us on LinkedIn at @BakerHostetler, @Paul Schmidt, @RayWhitman or @SteveDettelbach or on the social platform X at @BakerHostetler.
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About BakerHostetler
BakerHostetler helps clients around the world address their most complex and critical business and regulatory issues. Our highly ranked attorneys deliver sophisticated counsel and outstanding client service. We have six core practice groups – Business, Digital Assets and Data Management, Intellectual Property, Labor and Employment, Litigation, and Tax – and more than 1,000 lawyers coast to coast. For more information, visit bakerlaw.com.
