Enron prosecutor to move to private practice

Corona del Mar attorney John Hueston, the star federal prosecutor in the Enron case, will enter the private sector next month when he joins Irell & Manella, a firm with offices in Newport Beach and Los Angeles.

Hueston, 42, is a 1982 graduate of Corona del Mar High School. In May he won a six-count conviction for fro corporate fraud against former Enron chairman Kenneth Lay, who died in July before being sentenced.

After 13 years as a prosecutor, Hueston said Wednesday, he met every challenge in that field and he’s ready for something else.

“I don’t think there’ll be any greater thrill than to stand up and say, ‘John Hueston, on behalf of the United States,’ but I did feel like it was time to move on,” he said.

When he joins the private practice in November, Hueston plans to specialize in civil and criminal trials for businesses.

Wayne Gross, chief of the Orange County branch of the U.S. Attorney’s office, said he’s sorry to lose Hueston, who has never lost a case.

“He takes on the most complex, difficult cases and not only wins them, he destroys the other side,” Gross said.

Andra Greene, a partner at Irell & Manella, said she’s thrilled that the firm is gaining Hueston’s expertise. The firm has handled cases for clients such as TiVo, Viacom and Paramount Pictures, and the owner of the Del Taco restaurant chain.

— Alicia Robinson