Drew Findling
Drew Findling | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1959 (age 64–65) New York |
| Other names | Billion Dollar Lawyer[1][2][3][4] |
| Education | Oglethorpe University (BA) Emory University (JD) |
| Occupation | Criminal defense attorney |
Drew Findling is an American criminal defense lawyer known for representing clients who are notable musicians, actors, professional athletes and political figures, such as Cardi B and Donald Trump.[5][6][7] Based in Atlanta, Findling is the founding partner of The Findling Law Firm, P.C.[4]
Early life and education
[edit]Findling accepted a scholarship to run track for Oglethorpe University in Atlanta where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1981.[8][5] He graduated with a Juris Doctorate (JD) from the Emory University School of Law in 1984.[9][10]
Career
[edit]Findling served as a Fulton County, Georgia public defender for the first three years of his career, during which time he was the first attorney in the nation to successfully present a battered woman syndrome defense based only on verbal abuse.[5][9] He was awarded the Indigent Defense Award by the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.[9] In 1987, he switched to private practice, where he has litigated cases in state and federal courts across the United States as well as in Europe and the Middle East. He has represented clients charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corruption (RICO) Act.[11][1]
Among the notable clients represented by Findling include professional athletes Dennis Rodman, Shaquille O'Neal, and Alvin Kamara;[4][5] actors/comedians like Katt Williams, Mike Epps, and Tiffany Haddish;[4][12] and musicians such as Cardi B,[5] Faith Evans, Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka,[4] Lil Baby,[5] Young Dolph, YFN Lucci, DaBaby, Offset, Quavo, Takeoff from Migos,[13] Rod Wave, NBA Young Boy, GloRilla, Trippie Redd and Boosie.[12][14][4] In 2022, former U.S. President Donald Trump hired Findling to represent him in the ongoing criminal investigation into election interference in Georgia.[4]
During 2018–2019, Findling was president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) and, in 2023, was appointed as a trustee of the NACDL Foundation for Criminal Justice. He has been a recipient of the NACDL's Robert C. Heeney Memorial Award, presented each year to only one criminal defense attorney in the country. In 2023, he was appointed to Board of Advisors for the National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and the Law.[12] Findling received the NAACP's Civil and Human Rights Award in 2013.[9] He was invited to become a fellow to the International Academy of Trial Lawyers (IATL).[9]
Other work
[edit]Findling has lectured at law schools such as Emory University School of Law, Georgia State University College of Law, Mercer University School of Law and University of Georgia School of Law. He has served on the faculty of the National Criminal Defense College since 1989. He has previously taught at NACDL's White Collar Criminal Defense College at Stetson College of Law and Tulane University Law School's Pre Trial Criminal Litigation Boot Camp.[10][9]
Recognition
[edit]Findling has been named as one of "Hollywood's Top 20 Troubleshooters" by The Hollywood Reporter.[15] He has also been recognized as one of "Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players".[16] In 2024, he was named on Forbes Top 200 Lawyers in America.[17]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Coscarelli, Joe (February 8, 2018). "Atlanta's #BillionDollarLawyer Is Looking Out for Your Favorite Rappers". New York Times. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022.
- ^ Bethea, Charles (31 July 2023). "On the Run with Trump's "Billion-Dollar Lawyer"". The New Yorker. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ Hakim, Danny (11 August 2022). "Trump hires 'Billion Dollar Lawyer'". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g Rankin, Bill (13 April 2023). "Atlanta's #BillionDollarLawyer once attacked Trump, now defends him". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Smith, Chris (18 August 2023). "From Cardi B to Donald Trump: Meet the High-Flying, Liberal Lawyer Defending the Former President in Georgia". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ Walters, Greg (16 February 2023). "Trump's Criminal Defense Attorney Is an Atlanta Hip-Hop Legend". Vice. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ Cabral, Sam (20 August 2023). "Drew Findling: Trump's new lawyer once called him 'racist, cruel'". BBC. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ "Notable Alumni". Oglethorpe University. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f "NACDL - News Release ~ 07/30/2018c". National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. 30 July 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ a b Cohen, David (24 August 2017). "Findling President-Elect of Defense Lawyers". Atlanta Jewish Times. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ Suebsaeng, Asawin; Rawnsley, Adam (22 September 2023). "Why Did Trump Lose His 'Billion Dollar Lawyer'?". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ a b c "NACDL - Drew Findling". NACDL - National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Archived from the original on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 2021-11-06.
- ^ Voreacos, David (24 February 2023). "He's Defended Cardi B and Migos. His Next Client Is Donald Trump". Bloomberg. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ Blakely, Rhys (14 August 2023). "Drew Findling, the (very) liberal lawyer defending Donald Trump". The Times. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- ^ Cullins, Ashley (December 6, 2018). "Hollywood's Troubleshooters: Top 20 Lawyers for Divorces, Plea Deals and Death Plans". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
- ^ Billboard Staff (September 27, 2018). "Billboard's 2018 R&B/Hip-Hop 100 Power Players Revealed". Billboard. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
- ^ Jackson, Liane. "America's Top 200 Lawyers 2024". Forbes. Retrieved 17 October 2024.