Damien Diggs, the newly departed U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, has joined the Dallas office of Winston & Strawn, where he’ll focus on cases involving government investigations, enforcement and compliance.
Before he was chosen by President Joe Biden in 2023 to run the East Texas prosecutor’s office, Diggs spent nearly five years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Texas. Before that, he held governmental positions in Washington, D.C.
“We are delighted to welcome Damien to Winston,” said Steve D’Amore, the firm’s chairman. “Damien’s extensive experience as a federal prosecutor working on significant criminal, civil and appellate matters will further strengthen our world-class litigation team. His collaborative leadership style is a perfect fit at Winston.”
Tom Melsheimer and Linda Coberly, co-chairs of Winston’s litigation department, said in a joint statement: “Damien understands the inner workings of the Department of Justice and the country’s criminal justice system. His unique experience as both a U.S. attorney and former assistant U.S. attorney will be an important resource for our corporate and business clients, especially in the areas of regulatory compliance, internal investigations, and government investigations.”
Diggs, 49, said his 18 years with the Justice Department will help clients know what to expect should they cross paths with federal investigators and regulators.
“I’m beyond thrilled to join Winston in its Dallas office and look forward to leveraging my government experience and relationships to help our clients navigate enforcement actions and investigations,” he said.
“I look forward to working with my esteemed colleagues in Dallas and joining forces with the firm’s global litigation practice to serve our clients across multiple industries.”
The Eastern District of Texas encompasses 43 counties from the Texas Gulf Coast to the Oklahoma border, with offices in Beaumont, Lufkin, Plano, Sherman, Texarkana and Tyler. Diggs was the first person of color in the district’s 166-year history to serve as U.S. attorney on a non-interim basis. He oversaw nearly 100 employees, including 50 prosecutors.
His resignation took effect Jan. 21, the day after President Donald Trump’s inauguration. His former first assistant, Abe McGlothin Jr., is serving as interim U.S. attorney until Trump chooses a permanent successor.
Yesterday was Diggs’s first at Winston.
“It’s been a hectic day. There’s a lot to take in,” he said by phone from his new office shortly after 7 p.m.
Long hours won’t be anything new to him, he said. (Though learning how to bill for them will.)
“One thing you quickly learn as U.S. attorney is that you’re never really off,” he said. “If someone needs you, then you’re at work, whenever it is and wherever you are. And someone always needs you.”
Among his most rewarding achievements, he said, was the November 2024 launch of Operation Purple Ribbon, an initiative to broaden the prosecution of domestic abusers at the federal level. For example, they would step up cases against defendants charged with felony firearms offenses and other crimes often associated with instances of domestic violence. By working with state and local law enforcement agencies that encounter similar crimes, he said, his office could leverage its resources and prosecute more defendants in federal court.
Diggs also expanded the district’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program, a 24-year-old, nationwide Justice Department initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, civic leaders and others to identify a community’s most pressing violent crimes and develop joint strategies to combat them. During his tenure, new Project Safe Neighborhoods programs were started in Beaumont, Longview and Plano.
On the civil side, he oversaw high-profile fraud prosecutions against defendants from the pharmaceutical, financial services, real estate and healthcare industries, resolving claims that totaled more than $250 million.
He said he’ll miss running the office that gets to go after bad actors as the public’s lawyer.
But the thing he’ll miss most about being the boss?
“Everyone laughed at my jokes.”