Damali Taylor

An accomplished litigator with significant trial experience, Damali A. Taylor is a former federal prosecutor who advises clients on white collar, securities, and civil litigation matters, as well as criminal, congressional, internal, and regulatory investigations.  She has tried more than 20 jury trials, defended against hundreds of pretrial motions, led dozens of grand jury investigations and presentations, and conducted more than 100 court hearings.

Before rejoining O’Melveny as a partner, Damali spent six years as a federal prosecutor at the United States Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of California.  Most recently, Damali served as the Deputy Chief of the Organized Crime Task Force Section.  As a federal prosecutor, Damali handled complex fraud, racketeering, money laundering, tax, and homicide cases.  Prior to her tenure as an Assistant US Attorney, Damali served as an Assistant District Attorney in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office from 2009-2011.

Damali has received awards and commendations from the FBI for her outstanding prosecutorial skills. She also received the Unsung Heroes Award in recognition of her dedication to victims of crime.

Experience:

• Government Experience:
  • Obtained convictions following a jury trial on more than 30 counts of tax fraud and mail fraud against a business owner for filing false corporate income tax returns with the IRS, for failing to file payroll tax returns, and for filing false sales and use tax returns with the California Board of Equalization
  • Obtained convictions following a jury trial on a dozen counts of wire fraud and aggravated identify theft against two business owners for defrauding three companies in a US$6 million contract for rights to scrap metal from a Six Flags amusement park
  • Prosecuted 38 individuals who had orchestrated a multi-million dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme across California
• Private Practice Experience:
  • Conducted an internal investigation for the audit committee of an electric utility company
  • Secured a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction for a financial services company against extremist groups that threatened and harassed the company’s employees
  • Represented Contra Costa County in a federal labor and employment trial
  • Represented Fortune 500 land development company, Lennar Corp. in multiple matters including winning a US$1 billion jury verdict in Florida, a complete defense of two separate US$200 million lawsuits in California, and in a US$250 million land acquisition dispute in Maryland
• Corporate & Government Experience:
  • Assistant United States Attorney, Northern District of California (2011-2017)
  • Assistant District Attorney, San Francisco Attorney’s Office (2009-2011)

Admissions:

• California
• New York
• US District Court, Northern District of California

Education:

• Yale Law School, JD
• Boston University, BA, English Literature, magna cum laude