Lord Falconer joins US law firm

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Former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer has joined a leading US law firm - a year after leaving the cabinet.

Lord Falconer, who quit when Tony Blair resigned as PM, has joined the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

The firm's cases include the US Supreme Court case which effectively resolved the disputed 2000 presidential election in favour of George Bush.

Lord Falconer, an ex-flatmate of Mr Blair's, said he was looking forward to returning to private law practice.

Mr Blair appointed his longtime friend to the government in 1997 as solicitor general, and he became Lord Chancellor in 2003.

In a statement released about his new job, Lord Falconer said Gibson Dunn was the "right place for me to begin this next phase of my career".

Tom Budd, co-partner in charge of the London office, said he would be a "hands on lawyer, working as an integral part of our existing UK dispute resolution team".

He added he would bring "many years of commercial and political experience, much of it gained at the highest level in British government".