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ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Retiring Missouri Sen. Kit Bond has a new job with a St. Louis-based law firm.

Bond announced Tuesday that he is joining the Thompson Coburn law firm as a partner and will work primarily out of its Washington, D.C., office.

The 71-year-old Republican decided not to seek re-election this past November after 24 years in the Senate. He previously served as Missouri's governor. Republican Rep. Roy Blunt was elected to replace Bond and will be sworn into office Wednesday.

Bond plans to focus his legal work on areas where he had expertise as a senator, such as international trade, biotechnology, transportation and cyber security issues associated with electronic surveillance.

As a former lawmaker, Bond said he will be barred from lobbying Congress for two years

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