Latest news with #DamianWilliams
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Another top Paul Weiss lawyer departs firm after Trump deal
Paul, Weiss — the first law firm to strike a deal with President Trump to avoid a punitive executive order — is losing a prominent attorney to a firm that, when targeted by the White House, fought back in court. Damian Williams, former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, is set to leave Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison after half a year there for a role at Jenner & Block. His departure is the latest in a series of high-profile resignations from the firm in the aftermath of its agreement with the Trump administration. In a Friday statement, Williams praised Jenner & Block for 'fearlessly' advocating for its clients and how it 'lives its values.' 'I'm excited to join a team with an extraordinary depth of legal talent that doesn't shy away from hard fights — and delivers results that matter,' he said. Since returning to the White House, Trump has targeted six big law firms with executive orders aimed at undercutting their business as retribution for their ties to his political adversaries. While four of the firms filed legal action challenging the directives, Trump revoked his executive order against Paul, Weiss after it agreed to provide $40 million in free legal services to support administration initiatives and other perks. The deal set off an avalanche of agreements between the Trump administration and the nation's top law firms. Now, eight other firms have entered agreements with Trump to provide tens of millions of dollars in pro bono work, despite there being no executive orders issued against them. Jenner & Block, meanwhile, sued the administration. A federal judge last month deemed the order against the firm unlawful and blocked it in full. 'This order, like the others, seeks to chill legal representation the administration doesn't like, thereby insulating the Executive Branch from the judicial check fundamental to the separation of powers,' U.S. District Judge John Bates, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, wrote in a 52-page opinion. 'It thus violates the Constitution and the Court will enjoin its operation in full.' Last month, four top lawyers at Paul, Weiss also departed from their roles as partners at the law firm to form their own practice. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Paul Weiss Loses Ex-US Attorney Damian Williams After Trump Deal
A former federal prosecutor who joined Paul Weiss in the month leading up to President Trump's second term left for Jenner & Block. New York-based partner Damian Williams will co-chair Jenner's litigation department and investigations, compliance and defense practice, according to the firm's announcement on Friday. He leaves a firm that struck a controversial deal with the Trump administration to avoid punitive sanctions to a firm that sued Trump to block a similar attack.
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Former Manhattan US attorney Williams leaves law firm Paul Weiss
June 6 (Reuters) - Former Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams has left Paul Weiss, the law firm he joined in January, becoming the latest partner to depart the Wall Street firm since it struck a deal with U.S. President Donald Trump in March to rescind an executive order against it. Williams is joining Chicago-based Jenner & Block, the firm said on Friday. Jenner sued the Trump administration to block a similar Trump order and won a ruling last month permanently blocking it. Jenner's announcement did not mention its fight against the Trump administration or the Paul Weiss deal. Paul Weiss did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Williams was not immediately available for comment. In a statement, he said Jenner 'fearlessly advocates for its clients and provides outstanding strategic counsel through their most difficult challenges.' Jenner said Williams, an appointee of former Democratic President Joe Biden who led the U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of New York from 2021 to 2024, will co-chair the firm's litigation department and investigations practice. Jenner was one of four law firms that sued the White House challenging an executive order that sought to strip government contracts from the firms' clients and to bar attorneys at the firms from entering federal buildings. Paul Weiss instead agreed in March to devote $40 million in free legal services to causes approved by the administration in order to escape the order against it. The firm's chairman Brad Karp has defended the agreement, saying it was necessary to protect the firm and did not compromise its principles. Eight other prominent firms later reached similar deals with the White House. Five partners, including Karen Dunn, left Paul Weiss last month to form a new firm. They did not cite the agreement with Trump in their announcement.
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Former U.S. attorney Damian Williams leaves Paul Weiss for Jenner & Block
Damian Williams, the former top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, is leaving the law firm Paul Weiss to join Jenner & Block, defecting from a firm that struck a deal with the Trump administration to sign on with one that fought it in court. Williams is the highest-profile attorney to join the exodus from firms that made deals with President Donald Trump this year. Trump has roiled the legal profession by targeting some high-profile law firms with punishing executive orders. Some firms sued to challenge his actions. Others instead made deals to avoid similar sanctions, outraging many lawyers within those businesses and across the legal profession.
New York Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Paul Weiss Loses Another Prominent Lawyer in Wake of Trump Deal
Paul Weiss, the elite law firm that was the first to strike a deal with the Trump administration to deflect a punishing executive order, is losing one of its most prominent new hires — the former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. Damian Williams, who joined Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison in January, shortly after stepping down as one of the nation's top federal prosecutors, is taking a job with Jenner & Block. The move, the latest in a string of high-profile departures, was announced on Friday by Jenner & Block, where Mr. Williams will serve as the co-head of the law firm's litigation and white collar practices. Unlike Paul Weiss, Jenner & Block chose to challenge an executive order aimed at punishing the firm for employing an attorney who had investigated Mr. Trump. Last month. a federal judge struck down that order, calling it 'doubly violative of the Constitution.' As U.S. attorney in Manhattan, Mr. Williams, 44, and his team secured a number of high-profile convictions, including in the fraud case against Sam Bankman-Fried, the former FTX cryptocurrency exchange founder. His office also was successful in convicting former New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez on public corruption charges. Before former President Joseph R. Biden tapped Mr. Williams to serve as U.S. attorney in 2021, he had led the office's securities and commodities task force. He also had served as a law clerk to former U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, a jurist with a liberal reputation. 'Jenner & Block fearlessly advocates for its clients and provides outstanding strategic counsel through their most difficult challenges,' Mr. Williams said in a statement. 'I've seen firsthand how this firm expertly tackles the toughest cases and lives its values.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
