Morrison & Foerster has hired former US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief counsel Stacy Cline Amin to expand its life sciences and healthcare practice in Washington DC.

Amin joins the firm as a partner and will co-lead its FDA regulatory and compliance team. She brings with her a decade of government experience, most recently serving as the FDA’s chief counsel and deputy general counsel of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where she played a key role in the FDA’s Covid-19 pandemic response and establishing FDA guidelines on ensuring the safety and efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines.

Larren Nashelsky, Morrison & Foerster’s chair, said: “Stacy brings exceptional healthcare and life sciences experience to the firm, having served in senior level positions in FDA, HHS and the executive and legislative branches. Her highly strategic regulatory and healthcare enforcement experience adds significant depth and breadth to our life sciences, healthcare, and FDA practices.”

Nashelsky added that Amin will be “an invaluable addition” to the firm’s Covid-19 Task Force. Amin spent just over two years in her dual role at the FDA and HHS, having previously served in the White House as a senior associate counsel to President Donald Trump, following earlier counsel roles in the Senate and House of Representatives. Prior to her career in government, Amin worked in private practice at firms including Caplin & Drysdale and Sullivan & Cromwell.

Bradley Wine, Morrison & Foerster’s global litigation department co-chair, said: “We are excited to have Stacy join our FDA regulatory and compliance practice, enhancing our ability to offer unparalleled FDA regulatory, investigations, litigation and enforcement counselling to our clients, making Morrison & Foerster a best-in-class destination for clients navigating complex and mission-critical issues before the FDA.”

Amin is the firm’s fifth senior government hire this year, following the arrivals of Brian Kidd, Brandon Van Grack, Alexander Okuliar and David Shaw.

Also this week, Mayer Brown re-hired litigation partner Sean McDonnell after a spell as assistant US attorney in the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. And last month, Arnold & Porter hired former SEC whistleblowing chief Jane Norberg in its securities litigation team in Washington.