Erica L. Ross Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP has added a former assistant to the solicitor general as its new firmwide chair of appeals and strategic motions practice group, the firm announced Tuesday.

Erica Ross is expected to use her nearly eight years of experience at the Office of the Solicitor General — including arguing 16 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court — to work from Washington, D.C., and head a group of interdisciplinary teams who assist clients through all stages of litigation, according to the firm's announcement.

Ross will take over a role previously shared by litigators Mark Stancil and Michael Gottlieb, according to Willkie.

"Since Mike and I first launched this practice group several years ago, we have been searching for the ideal appellate lawyer to lead this group for the next generation," said Stancil in a statement Tuesday. "We are thrilled to have found Erica, whose unique combination of experience, skill and strategic savvy makes her an excellent fit for our clients and the broad range of high-stakes litigation matters we handle."

Ross worked on briefs for hundreds of cases at the merits and certiorari stages before the Supreme Court during her time at the Solicitor General's office, including matters involving intellectual property, tax law, bankruptcy, antitrust, foreign sovereign immunity, criminal law, administrative law and business disputes, according to the firm.

She also served as deputy assistant attorney general at the Office of Legal Counsel, where she advised executive branch agencies, the White House and senior Department of Justice leadership on a broad range of legal questions and supervised attorney teams working to draft executive orders, legislation and regulations, according to Willkie.

"I'm thrilled to join the talented team at Willkie to guide clients through their most challenging appellate and trial matters," said Ross in a statement Tuesday.

Ross received her undergraduate degree from Yale University and her law degree from Stanford Law School. She previously clerked for Justice Elena Kagan and for U.S. Circuit Judge David Tatel of the D.C. Circuit.

Willkie has approximately 1,300 attorneys working out of 16 offices in the U.S. and Europe.

"Erica is widely recognized as one of the leading appellate advocates of her generation," said Tariq Mundiya, chair of Willkie's litigation department, in a statement Tuesday. "She will bring unrivaled government and private practice experience to our global litigation platform."