Attorney Russell Lorfing

Attorney Russell Lorfing serves clients in criminal defense and personal injury cases in West Texas. He is a former state and federal prosecutor with a background in both civil and criminal law.

Russell is the only former Assistant United States Attorney practicing criminal defense in the greater Abilene area and one of only three former federal prosecutors practicing in West Texas. He has vast experience in state and federal criminal law while understanding the struggles of those caught up in the criminal justice system. He provides comprehensive service to such clients that includes not only legal representation but self-improvement programs designed to give them the skills to forge a better life.

Russell has handled hundreds of cases and tried dozens of them as lead counsel in complex jury trials. He has intensive knowledge in electronic evidence and the Electronic Communication Privacy Act. In 2017, he was designated as a Cyber Hacking Intellectual Property Prosecutor and oversaw cyber investigations throughout West Texas. He has been recognized nationally for his work on white collar investigations as well as by the FBI for his prosecutorial accomplishments and years of service serving the American people.

Career Experience

After law school, Russell clerked for the Honorable Barbara P. Hervey at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the highest criminal court in the State of Texas.

After finishing clerkship, Russell worked overseas as a felony prosecutor where he concentrated on white collar prosecutions. He quickly became a rising star and was promoted through the ranks, eventually being offered the position of Criminal Chief.

After trying dozens of cases at the state level, Russell was hired as a federal prosecutor at the United States Department of Justice. He quickly earned a reputation for being an aggressive prosecutor with an unmatched work ethic. He routinely worked late into the night on his cases and worked closely with federal agents from the FBI, DEA, ATF, and HSI.

As an Assistant United States Attorney, Russell prosecuted a myriad of cases, including violent crime and large-scale drug organizations. Over the years however, Russell was entrusted to handle and prosecute some of the most complex cases in the State of Texas. These complex investigations included wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, domestic terrorism, health care fraud, and various violations of the Bank Secrecy Act.

Education

Russell is a proud graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and St. Mary's School of Law. In law school, Russell was elected by his peers to serve as class president. He studied comparative law in Buenos Aires, Argentina and graduated in 2009 with a Doctorate of Jurisprudence with an emphasis in criminal law.

Bar Admissions & Licenses

• Supreme Court of the United States
• Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
• United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
• United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
• United States District Court
• Northern District of Texas
• Western District of Texas
• Southern District of Texas
• State of Texas
• Washington D.C.
• Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands