High-profile Paul Weiss attorney defects to Big Law firm fighting Trump
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- A high-profile Paul Weiss lawyer is leaving five months after rejoining the firm.
- Damian Williams is joining Jenner & Block, a Big Law firm fighting the Trump administration.
- Williams served as US Attorney in Manhattan, one of the most powerful Justice Department positions.
Damian Williams, one of the most prominent federal prosecutors in the country, is walking away from the law firm that struck a deal with Donald Trump — and joining one that's suing him.
Williams is leaving Paul Weiss five months after returning to the firm to work for Jenner & Block, a law firm actively challenging the Trump administration in court.
Jenner & Block announced the move Friday. Williams will serve as co-chair of both the firm's Litigation Department and its Investigations, Compliance, and Defense Practice.
The high-profile defection is a blow for Paul Weiss, an elite law firm that was the first to broker an agreement with President Donald Trump in March. As part of the deal, Paul Weiss said it would devote $40 million in pro bono hours toward Trump's political priorities. After it was announced, Trump rescinded an executive order that would have, among other sanctions, stripped Paul Weiss employees of security clearances and cut off government contracts.
Eight other firms have since made similar deals with the White House. Four — including Jenner & Block — opted to sue instead. All four have won court rulings blocking Trump's orders.
"Jenner & Block fearlessly advocates for its clients and provides outstanding strategic counsel through their most difficult challenges," Williams said in a press release. "I've seen firsthand how this firm expertly tackles the toughest cases and 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," his statement continued.
Williams isn't the only notable attorney to leave Paul Weiss in recent weeks. Karen Dunn, a prominent litigator who helped Kamala Harris prepare for her 2024 presidential debate with Trump, left along with three other top lawyers last month to start a new boutique law firm.
Williams previously served as the US Attorney in the Southern District of New York, one of the most powerful perches in the Justice Department. Williams brought criminal cases against Sean "Diddy" Combs, Sam Bankman-Fried, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and now-former Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey.
Before that, Williams worked at Paul Weiss between 2009 and 2012 and clerked for Justice John Paul Stevens on the US Supreme Court and Merrick Garland on the federal appeals court in Washington, DC.
In Paul Weiss' January announcement about his return, Williams praised the firm's "devotion to pro bono."
"Damian is a transcendently talented lawyer who has led many of the government's highest-profile prosecutions and investigations," Paul Weiss's chair Brad Karp said at the time. "He will be an exceptional addition to our already outstanding team of white collar and regulatory lawyers and a leader in the national legal community."
A representative for Paul Weiss didn't respond to a request for comment Friday.