Volkswagen Hires BP’s Oil Spill Legal Team

After revealing that it deliberately misled regulators and customers over the environmental performance of its diesel-engine vehicles, Volkswagen has hired the lawyers who defended BP after the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Kirkland & Ellis LLP has been brought on to represent the beleaguered German automaker as it faces a maximum fine from U.S. regulators of up to $18 billion. Volkswagen admitted to outfitting its cars with emissions systems rigged to perform up to standards in emissions tests, but much worse on the road.