Damali Taylor is a former federal prosecutor and an accomplished trial lawyer. Since rejoining O’Melveny in 2017, Damali regularly represents clients on a broad array of white collar and civil litigation matters, including internal, criminal, and regulatory investigations. She has led dozens of jury trials and defended against hundreds of pretrial motions.
Damali spent more than 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 Strike Force Section. As a federal prosecutor, Damali handled complex fraud, racketeering, bribery, money laundering, murder and human trafficking 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. Damali also previously served as Chair of the San Francisco Police Commission, the oversight body responsible for implementing reform and imposing discipline for the San Francisco Police Department.
Damali is the Hiring Partner for O’Melveny’s San Francisco office and a member of the Firm’s Racial Justice Committee.
Damali has received awards and commendations from the FBI for her outstanding trial and prosecutorial skills. She also received the Unsung Heroes Award in recognition of her dedication to victims of crime.
Private Practice Experience
- Lead trial counsel for market-leading kombucha manufacturer in litigation alleging false advertising and unfair competition
- Lead trial counsel for major automotive manufacturer in federal class action litigation alleging fraud
- Lead trial counsel for founder of prominent wealth management firm in valuation dispute that went to AAA arbitration hearing; awarded attorney’s fees and costs as the prevailing party
- Conducted a web of investigations relating to allegations of fraud and corruption for a multinational company facing inquiries from federal, state and local enforcement agencies, including Main Justice and the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, multiple state Attorneys General, and District Attorneys
- Trial counsel for global technology company in class action litigation alleging fraudulent misrepresentation and breach of warranty; matter settled favorably on the eve of trial
- Representing global investment firm in connection with SEC investigation
- Represented multinational company in connection with Department of Justice investigation into alleged fraud scheme involving international trade
- Represented leading blockchain company in negotiating the terms of a settlement with the Department of Justice
- Conducted an internal investigation for the audit committee of a major 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
- Trial counsel for large municipality in a federal labor and employment trial
Government Experience
- Obtained convictions following 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 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
- Handled investigation of Oakland police officer involved in multiyear bribery scheme
- Prosecuted 38 individuals who had orchestrated a multi-million dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme across California
- Prosecuted 11 defendant racketeering enterprise for multiple counts of murder, attempted murder, sex trafficking and child sex trafficking
- Prosecuted members of Hells Angels motorcycle gang for racketeering conspiracy involving murder, multiple instances of assault, robbery, extortion and witness tampering
- Prosecuted digital currency exchange for federal money laundering and operating an unlicensed money service business
- Assistant United States Attorney, Northern District of California (2011-2017)
- Assistant District Attorney, San Francisco Attorney's Office (2009-2011)
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- California
- New York
Education
- Yale Law School, JD
- Boston University, BA, English Literature, magna cum laude
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Best Lawyers® for Criminal Defense: White-Collar in San Francisco (2024)
- Recommended by The Legal 500 US for State Attorneys General (2023)
- Named to the "500 Leading Litigators in America" list for White Collar, Civil & Securities Litigation by Lawdragon (2022, 2023)
- Named to Global Investigations Review’s “Women in Investigations” Survey (2021)
Professional Activities
Damali served as Vice President and Chair of the San Francisco Police Commission, the oversight body responsible for implementing reform and imposing discipline for the San Francisco Police Department. In this role (as well as in her former role as an Assistant US Attorney), she handled issues of police misconduct and civil rights abuses.
Within O’Melveny, Damali is the Hiring Partner for the San Francisco Office.
Speaker Engagements and Publications
- Panelist, “Dealing with the Media in High Profile Cases” ABA White Collar Crime 2024 (March 2024)
- Guest lecturer: Stanford School of Law, UC Berkeley School of Law, UC Hastings College of the Law, and University of San Francisco School of Law
- Speaker, “Cross Border Enforcement: Key Trends and Investigation Best Practices,” Global Business Alliance (October 2020)
- Panelist, “The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and International Anti-Corruption Developments 2020,” Practising Law Institute (September 2020)
- Panelist, “Crypto Transformation: Legal Perspectives on the Evolving Blockchain,” Women in Blockchain Conference (March 2019)
- Panelist, “Cybercrime Cryptocurrency Series,” Berkeley Journal of Criminal Law (February 2019)
- Panelist, “Elimination of Bias in Technology Jury Trials,” Bar Association of San Francisco (January 2018)
- Author, “California Pursues Sweeping New Legislation That Would Expand Application of False Claims Act Into the Tax Fraud Arena,” O’Melveny Client Alert, with David Leviss, Steve Olson and Daniel Suvor (June 2020)
- Author, “Keeping COVID-19 Charitable Giving Compliant: Taking Steps Now Can Avoid Legal Risk Later,” O’Melveny Client Alert, with Greta Lichtenbaum (May 2020)
- Author, “DOJ Eases Requirements in Corporate Enforcement Policy Update,” O’Melveny Client Alert, with Nicole Argentieri, Laurel L. Rimon and Ben Singer (November 2019)
- Author, “National Institute of Health Urges Increased Vigilance Against Foreign Attempts to Influence and Steal Biomedical Research and Intellectual Property,” O’Melveny Client Alert, with Nicole Argentieri and Ron Cheng (February 2019)
- Author, “Fintech: Anti-Money Laundering Compliance 101,” O’Melveny Client Alert, with Nicole Argentieri, Laurel L. Rimon and Eric Sibbitt (October 2018)