Reid J. Schar led the successful charge that eventually found former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich guilty of fraud and now he is taking that success and parlaying it into a job with a private law firm.
Schar has never been afraid to call out defendants in the name of justice, during the retrial of Blagojevich in June of 2011 he famously asked the former governor:
“Mr. Blagojevich, you are a convicted liar, correct?”
Rod took the stand in his own defense and was later charged with 17 of 20 charges brought against him. When later questioned about the case several of the jurors said that was the point when the case turned against the former Governor.
Schar, 40, has worked as a federal prosecutor in Chicago for 13 years and will now join the Chicago based lawfirm Jenner & Block where he will serve as a partner in the firms white-collar criminal defense and investigations practice.
According to Jenner & Block Chairman Anton R. Valukas
“Mr. Schar is a broad-based thinker whose accomplishments at the U.S. Attorney’s Office are impressive. His track record and superb advocacy skills are exactly what is required to work on the types of matters our clients look to us to handle. His judgment and integrity are of the highest level.”
The announcement comes only a short time after U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald announced that he was also leaving his federal position after more than a decade of service.
Also choosing to call it quits is Brandon Fox who will head to California where he will serve as a prosecutor for the Central District of California.
The recent attorney’s to jump ship come at a time when the current administration continues to shake things up inside the U.S. Attorney’s office, creating a changing of the guard along the way.
