Boeing

Douglas G. Bain, Boeing senior vice president and general counsel, has announced his plans to retire from the company, effective July 1.

Judge J. Michael Luttig of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit will succeed Bain. As senior vice president and general counsel, Judge Luttig will report directly to Boeing Chairman, President, and CEO W. James McNerney, Jr., and will be a member of the company's Executive Council.

McNerney expressed his appreciation for Bain's contributions over his 24-year career, particularly during the past few years of legal challenges. "Doug built a team that has helped resolve extremely difficult issues for the company. Through his strong leadership, the legal team has fostered a culture of excellence and teamwork that will serve us well as we move forward," he said.

Bain, 57, joined the Boeing Corporate Law Department in 1982. He served for 14 years as senior counsel and then assistant general counsel. For three years, he was vice president of legal, contracts, ethics and government relations for Boeing Commercial Airplanes before returning to Corporate as general counsel in November 1999.

Judge Luttig, 51, has served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for 15 years, since his appointment by President George H. W. Bush in 1991. At the time of his appointment, Judge Luttig was the youngest federal appeals court judge in the country. Prior to his appointment to the federal bench, he served as assistant attorney general of the United States and counselor to the attorney general at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. Before beginning his service at the Department of Justice, Judge Luttig was associated with the New York law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell in the firm's Washington, D.C. offices. Previously, Judge Luttig had served as assistant counsel at the White House during the administration of President Reagan and was special assistant to the chief justice of the United States from 1984 to 1985. From 1982 to 1983, Judge Luttig served as a law clerk to then-Judge Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, and from 1983 to 1984, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Warren E. Burger, chief justice of the United States.

"Judge Luttig is one of the most respected judges in the nation and is widely regarded as one of the most independent judges on the federal bench," McNerney said. "He has long been considered one of the leading candidates for appointment to the Supreme Court. Having served in the White House, the Department of Justice, and on the federal bench, he brings unique experience to Boeing, including significant experience in the defense and national security arenas. We are both pleased and proud that he will be part of the Boeing team."

Judge Luttig delivered his letter of resignation from the U.S. Court of Appeals to the White House this morning.

Judge Luttig was born on June 13, 1954, in Tyler, Texas. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1976 from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va, and a Juris Doctorate degree in 1981 from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Judge Luttig and his wife, Elizabeth, have two children, a daughter, Morgan, and a son, John. The family will relocate to the Chicago area from their current residence in Virginia.