After five years away from White & Case, former counsel Howard Wettan has returned to the firm as a partner in Silicon Valley, where he will work in the legal giant’s global M&A and technology transactions group.

Wettan has rejoined White & Case as the eighth partner in the firm’s newly outfitted office in Palo Alto, California. White & Case said that Wettan, who spent the past two years as a vice president and associate general counsel at credit card behemoth Visa Inc. in nearby Foster City, will support the firm’s strategy of “vigorously” growing its intellectual property and technology-focused capabilities.