By Sarah Merken
(Reuters) – Damian Williams, a former top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, will return to the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison as a partner in New York, the firm announced on Friday.
In 2021, outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden nominated Williams to be the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. In November, he announced that he would step down before Republican President Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Trump announced plans to nominate former US Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton to the post. The position requires Senate confirmation.
Paul Weiss, a leading firm in New York, has strong ties to the Democratic Party. Its president, Brad Karp, launched a legal community fundraiser last summer for U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.
The company is also home to former US Attorney Loretta Lynch and Jeh Johnson, former Secretary of Homeland Security. Both were officials in the Obama administration.
As U.S. attorney, Williams secured the convictions of high-profile defendants, including U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried and Archegos Capital Management founder Sung Kook “Bill” Hwang.
In September, he filed bribery charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Adams pleaded not guilty.
Prior to his appointment, Williams led the Southern District’s Securities and Commodities Task Force. He previously clerked for liberal former U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, as well as current U.S. Attorney Merrick Garland while Garland was a judge.
Williams, a former Paul Weiss associate, said in a statement that he was pleased to return to the company where he began his career.
He will represent clients in federal and state government investigations, white-collar matters and internal investigations, Paul Weiss said.
