Attorney General Eric Holder has named Gary G. Grindler as the new chief of staff to the Attorney General.

Grindler, whose appointment is effective Jan. 17, replaces Kevin Ohlson, who has served as Chief of Staff and Counselor to the Attorney General since February 2009.

Grindler rejoined the Department of Justice in 2009 after spending nine years at King & Spalding, working on government and corporate matters. Prior to joining King & Spalding, he had served the DOJ in a number of roles, including as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General and Counselor to the Attorney General, Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Division, and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York and the Northern District of Georgia.

In 2009, Grindler was appointed as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division.

As he has throughout his career, Grindler showed remarkable leadership under difficult circumstances as Acting Deputy Attorney General over the past year, and I could not be more pleased that he has agreed to continue that service in this new role as my chief of staff, Holder said in a statement.

He will continue to be a key leader in our work to protect the American people, ensure the fairness and integrity of our financial markets, and invigorate the traditional missions of the department, he said.