Michael Huston, most recently an assistant to the solicitor general at the Justice Department, has joined Perkins Coie as co-chair of the firm’s appeals, issues and strategy practice, the firm said Wednesday.

Huston, based in Washington, D.C., is coming aboard as one of the few appellate partners in the firm’s East Coast offices, as Perkins looks to grow its appellate and litigation practices. The firm saw several litigators exit when Marc Elias’ political team spun off to form their own firm.