Mlegal Expands in Washington, D.C. with Addition of Recruiters Lauren Drake and Rachel Nonaka

A Year After Launching D.C. Office Led by Jane Roberts, Elite Recruiting Firm Adds One of D.C.’s Most Prominent Recruiters and a Former Federal Prosecutor

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mlegal Group, a premier global legal search firm, announced today that highly regarded legal recruiter Lauren Drake and former federal prosecutor Rachel Nonaka have joined the Washington, D.C. office as Partner and Managing Director, respectively. In addition, Jessica Ellinger has come aboard as Knowledge Manager. Along with Managing Partner Jane Roberts, who launched the office in March 2019, the group forms the region’s preeminent legal search team matching senior law firm and government lawyers with top law firms.

“Lauren is widely regarded as one of the best legal recruiters in D.C., and for good reason. Her uncommon business expertise, deep knowledge of the legal market, and innate knack for not merely placing candidates where they belong but guiding them in their careers will significantly enhance our D.C. practice and the firm more broadly,” said Roberts. “Rachel, who understands the myriad challenges senior government officials navigate when seeking to make a transition to private practice and can share valuable insight few other recruiters possess, and Jessica round out a team I’m proud and excited to lead.”

Drake joins Mlegal from Major, Lindsey & Africa, where she built a thriving legal recruiting career following more than 16 years with management consulting firm McKinsey & Company and several years prior practicing telecommunications law. At Drake’s previous firm she headed the Partners Leadership Forum, comprised of the D.C. managing partners of major law firms, and she is a former Washington, D.C. Co-Chair of the Women in Law Empowerment Forum and its Global Advisory Board. She earned her B.A. from the University of Virginia and her J.D. from the College of William and Mary.

Nonaka previously served as a federal prosecutor at both the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, where for more than a decade she investigated and brought white collar securities enforcement actions. She also taught at the Georgetown University Law Center as an adjunct law professor. She received her B.A. from the College of William and Mary and her J.D. from the Villanova University School of Law.

Ellinger joins from Major, Lindsey & Africa, where she held administrative and finance positions during her four-year tenure. She holds a B.A. from The Catholic University of America.

“Opening our D.C. office last year with a partner of Jane Roberts’ stature and market reputation marked a major milestone for Mlegal. Launching in DC was the final step in the expansion of Mlegal’s office footprint as we sought to execute on our strategic plan to build market-leading offices in Northern California, New York, London, and D.C.,” said CEO Joe Macrae. “I couldn’t be happier to welcome Lauren, Rachel and Jessica to Mlegal. All three are fitting in seamlessly and already making significant contributions not only in D.C. but across our closely integrated network of offices.”

About Mlegal Group

Founded in 2001, Mlegal has grown from its San Francisco Bay Area origins to become an internationally recognized elite legal search practice representing many of the most successful and innovative law firms in the United States and Europe. The company has offices in London, New York, San Francisco, Palo Alto, and Washington, D.C. To learn more about Mlegal, please visit www.mlegalgroup.com.