Gerald Masoudi is back. After spending the last two years as deputy assistant attorney general in charge of international, policy and appellate matters in the antitrust division of the Department of Justice, he replaces Sheldon Bradshaw, who left last month, as the chief FDA lawyer. Masoudi previously held this role - but only on acting basis - after Dan Troy resigned in November 2004. He was hired just before the controversial Troy resigned.

“We are pleased to have Jerry’s expertise and insight back at HHS,” says FDA commish Andy von Eschenbach, in a brief statement. “His leadership and service will be critical to FDA’s public health mission and regulatory responsibilities.”

Masoudi, who graduated from the University of Chicago Law School in 1993, where he was the editor of the Law Review, clerked for Judge Frank Easterbrook of the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Later, he was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis, a major law firm with a significant pharma and biotech practice, where he worked before joining the FDA in 2004.

For the curious, here are speeches Jerry gave while working at the Justice Department.