WilmerHale is pleased to announce that Thomas Strickland has joined the firm as a partner in its Washington DC office. Mr. Strickland is the former Chief of Staff and Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks for the United States Department of the Interior. His distinguished service as a senior member of the Obama Administration followed his previous roles as chief legal officer for UnitedHealth Group, successful leader in private practice, United States Attorney for the District of Colorado, and Policy Director for Colorado Governor Richard Lamm. At WilmerHale, he will handle a range of matters at the intersection of law, business and government policy, including governmental enforcement cases, Congressional and internal investigations, corporate governance, and high-stakes crisis management matters.

Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, a full-service national law firm, is pleased to announce that James C. Falvey and Allen Bachman have joined the firm’s Washington, D.C. office as Members.

Jeffrey B. Mullan, former Secretary and CEO of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, has joined Foley Hoag LLP in its Boston office, returning to the firm where he began his legal career.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates is launching an investment management practice in London with the hire of partner Stephen Sims.

Davis Polk advised Barclays Capital Inc., BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. and SG Americas Securities, LLC as joint bookrunners and representatives of the underwriters on an SEC-registered offering by Rio Tinto Finance (USA) Limited of $2 billion aggregate principal amount of notes guaranteed by Rio Tinto plc and Rio Tinto Limited. The offering consisted of $500 million principal amount of 2.25% notes due 2016, $1.15 billion principal amount of 3.75% notes due 2021 and a reopening in an aggregate principal amount of $350 million of its 5.20% notes due 2040, first issued on November 2, 2010.

Ford & Harrison LLP, a national labor and employment law firm, announced today the opening of an office in Short Hills, N.J. with the addition of Salvador P. Simao as partner.  Mr. Simao will spearhead efforts in the firm’s newest office—the New Jersey office is the firm’s twenty-second location.

The law firm of Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP (EAPD) is pleased to announce that Mitchell H. Stabbe will join the Firm on September 19 as a Washington, DC-based partner in the Intellectual Property Department.