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Certainly one of New York’s finest recognized legal professionals is leaving Paul Weiss, simply months after the legislation agency’s give up to assaults by US President Donald Trump.
Damian Williams, a former prime federal prosecutor in New York who joined Paul Weiss in January, is shifting to rival Jenner & Block, which was additionally focused by the president however challenged the administration in courtroom — and received.
“I’ve seen first-hand how this agency expertly tackles the hardest instances and lives its values,” stated Williams. “I’m excited to hitch a group with a unprecedented depth of authorized expertise that doesn’t shrink back from arduous fights.”
The departure of Williams will reverberate throughout New York’s company authorized scene, underscoring the sector’s turmoil after the choice by 9 legislation corporations to buckle below strain from the Trump administration earlier this yr.
The corporations collectively agreed to offer almost $1bn in free authorized providers relatively than combat govt orders that might have imposed punitive restrictions on their enterprise, suspending safety clearances and blocking them from courthouses and different federal buildings.
Paul Weiss was the primary agency to capitulate and faces a rising exodus of legal professionals that would upend its enterprise. 4 senior legal professionals, together with Karen Dunn, a company litigator who additionally served the campaigns of former Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris, left final month to launch their very own agency.
“We thank Damian for his contributions and need him effectively,” a Paul Weiss spokesperson stated.
Williams was a securities fraud prosecutor who rose by means of the ranks to finally lead the Manhattan US Legal professional’s Workplace, probably the most elite outpost of the US justice division, which handles high-stakes terrorism, public corruption and white-collar crime instances.
Nominated by former president Joe Biden, he oversaw the prosecutions of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried and former US senator Bob Menendez. Williams, who was the primary Black particular person to guide the workplace, started his authorized profession at Paul Weiss and had deep relationships with a number of the agency’s most senior companions.
He joins Jenner as co-chair of its litigation division and white-collar investigations and defence follow in New York. Tom Perrelli, Jenner’s chair, stated Williams match the agency’s custom of “hiring former public servants who’re zealous and efficient advocates”.
In considered one of his earliest acts after retaking the White Home, Trump issued a collection of govt orders concentrating on legislation corporations he suspected of attacking him throughout his first administration, many with Democratic ties. The orders suspended legal professionals’ safety clearances, requested a assessment of presidency contracts and sought to dam their entry to federal authorities buildings.
In asserting measures concentrating on Paul Weiss in March, the president cited a lawsuit the agency filed towards individuals within the January 6 2021 rebel on the US Capitol, in addition to a former agency associate’s involvement within the Manhattan prosecution of Trump on fraud expenses.
A choose in Could struck down Trump’s govt order towards Jenner, declaring it unconstitutional. WilmerHale, Susman Godfrey and Perkins Coie have additionally efficiently challenged the orders in courtroom.
