Former UK PM could join DLA Piper’s elite advisory team after stint as Foreign Secretary
David Cameron, the UK’s former prime minister, is in advanced talks to join international law giant DLA Piper, according to reports first published by the Financial Times. If appointed, he would assume an advisory role focused on geopolitical risk, marking another chapter in Cameron’s post-political career.
DLA Piper, one of the world’s largest law firms, has confirmed discussions are underway but has so far declined to elaborate on the nature of the potential role. Sources cited by The Guardian insist that Cameron would not engage in lobbying on behalf of the firm.
The move would place Cameron within DLA Piper’s 30-strong government affairs team, a group already housing high-profile former political figures, including Labour’s Lord David Blunkett, who joined the firm as an adviser last year. The team specialises in navigating the complex intersection between government policy and business, offering clients strategic counsel amid rising global uncertainty.
Cameron served as UK prime minister from 2010 to 2016, resigning after leading the failed campaign to keep Britain in the European Union during the Brexit referendum. Since stepping down, he has cultivated a portfolio of advisory and commercial roles, not without controversy.
In 2021, he faced public scrutiny over his lobbying efforts for Greensill Capital, a financial firm that later collapsed. The BBC reported that Cameron earned $10 million from the firm, primarily from cashing in shares—a claim he strongly denied.
Embed from Getty ImagesHe also briefly chaired the advisory board of Afiniti, a software company whose founder was accused of sexual misconduct. Cameron resigned following the allegations in 2021. More recently, he has served as an adviser to hedge fund Caxton Associates and Finback Investment Partners, a private equity firm founded by Jeb Bush.
In an unexpected return to frontline politics, Cameron was appointed Foreign Secretary in late 2023 by then-prime minister Rishi Sunak, despite no longer sitting as an MP. He served in the post until Labour’s victory in the July 2024 general election.
DLA Piper, with 4,500 lawyers globally, reported $4.2 billion in revenue in 2024, making it the third-largest law firm by earnings worldwide. The firm has increasingly leaned into geopolitical risk and government affairs, particularly in light of shifting global power dynamics and escalating regulatory demands on multinational corporations.
Cameron’s potential addition reflects a growing trend in the UK legal sector of high-level political figures moving into private legal practice. Last year, Sir Max Hill KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, joined King & Spalding as counsel in London. Around the same time, Kingsley Napley hired senior government litigator Natalie Cohen and Lord Carter, formerly general counsel at Downing Street.
If confirmed, Cameron’s arrival at DLA Piper would further cement the firm’s reputation for attracting top-tier political talent. However, it is also likely to revive questions about the revolving door between politics and commercial influence—particularly for a figure whose post-office conduct has already drawn criticism.
A spokesperson for DLA Piper declined to comment beyond confirming discussions with Cameron. No announcement has been made regarding timelines or the exact scope of the proposed role.
