Don DeGabrielle

NAFUSA member Donald J. DeGabrielle, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas (2006-2008), has joined Lewis Brisbois as a partner in its Houston office, where he will chair the firm’s national White Collar Criminal Defense and FCPA Practice. He is admitted to and licensed in Texas and Louisiana with active practices in each state.

“Don DeGabrielle’s depth of experience in federal law enforcement, including his time as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, will provide us with a skill set that can be marketed nationally. We are extremely excited that he is joining our Houston office,” said Houston Managing Partner David Oubre.

During his years of government service, DeGabrielle held several distinguished public service posts, including working as a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in both New York and Louisiana. Prior to his work at the Department of Justice, DeGabrielle amassed considerable experience as an assistant district attorney in New Orleans, where he conducted more than 150 jury trials. Following his 20 years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, President George W. Bush appointed DeGabrielle in 2006 to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, the 7th largest Judicial District in the country. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, DeGabrielle held an assignment with the Public Integrity Unit, where he spearheaded a number of high-profile prosecutions throughout the district involving public corruption, narcotics, environmental crimes, and bank fraud. As U.S. Attorney, DeGabrielle managed a staff of 170 U.S. Attorneys, as well as a support staff of more than 150 employees in the seven offices within the Southern Judicial District of Texas and received special commendations for leading the Criminal Division within the district. He also spent a year as the resident legal adviser to the South African National Directorate of Public Prosecutions, serving as a consultant and adviser for rule of law and criminal justice development. DeGabrielle also participated as an instructor with the Attorney General’s Advocacy Institute and National Advocacy Center in South Carolina.

DeGabrielle’s practice focuses on the representation of individuals, corporations and their leadership in criminal prosecutions, grand jury investigations, corporate internal investigations and civil enforcement actions brought by state and federal regulatory agencies. He routinely defends corporate interests against claims arising under the False Claims Act and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act as well as government contracting fraud. DeGabrielle has significant experience working in a number of industries, including securities, financial services, government services, energy, and defense. He also has significant experience handling cross-border cases.

“I am very happy with the opportunity to join this national law firm with a broad client base and multiple practice areas to assist our clientele. I look forward to the chance to help Lewis Brisbois grow and continue to develop a legal practice area with a focus on government-regulated, white collar, and criminal defense areas,” DeGabrielle said.

DeGabrielle’s practice also involves providing strategic advice, governmental compliance counseling, crisis management, and litigation services to clients facing domestic and international investigations relating to a wide range of enforcement issues. He actively assists corporations seeking to initiate criminal prosecutions against perpetrators who harmed their company by embezzlement schemes, intellectual property theft, and extortion.

Lewis Brisbois is a national, full-service law firm with more than 1,100 attorneys and offices in 41 cities and 26 states.