Russell Lorfing Attorney

First Admitted: 2009, Texas

Professional Webpage: https://www.lorfinglaw.com/meet-the-team2/russell-lorfing/

Bar/Professional Activity:

Supreme Court of the United States
Washington D.C., 1019573, 2014
State of Texas, 24070173, 2009
Southern District of Texas
Western District of Texas
Northern District of Texas
United States District Court
United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Bar Association - F0473, 2014
President, National Association of Former Assistant United States Attorneys (NAFAUSA)
Lubbock County Defense Attorney Association
Abilene Bar Association
Big Country Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association
Lubbock Bar Association

Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):

State of Texas v. Preston Martin, Cause No. 3652, 32nd Judicial District, this was a fascinating actual innocence case out of Fisher County. Preston Martin is an elected county commissioner in Fisher County and the State indicted him on felony theft charges. The state alleged that in his official capacity as a county commissioner, he authorized overtime pay for an employee that did not work overtime. The indictment also alleged that he stole private gravel and repurposed said gravel (over $20,000 worth) to improve county roads. The indictment brought up several collateral issues including Fisher County's efforts to remove Mr. Martin from office immediately. We filed a Response to Plaintiff’s Motion for Temporary Suspension Pending Trial and for Temporary Appointee, which we won. We also gathered gigabytes of evidence to prove his actual innocence. After several months, all charges against Mr. Martin were dismissed and he was allowed to remain in office, 2022.
United States v. Dennis Hagan - 1:08-CR-058-H - Motion to Revoke Mr. Hagan was convicted of Possession of Child Pornography in 2008. He was offered two years in jail but insisted on going to trial, alleging that he was innocent. He was ultimately convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison and was released in 2021. After release, his probation requirements required him to admit to the underlying conduct. He refused to do so, alleging that he was innocent. The United States moved to revoke him. After substantial briefing on the constitutional implications of revocation based solely on his claim of innocence and the retention of experts, the United States abandoned their motion to revoke, 2023.
United States v. Felipe Martinez, 5:14-CR-0094 - Motion to Revoke the United States filed a motion to revoke based on allegations of new criminal charges (assault). I met with the AUSA assigned to the case and presented affidavits of his innocence and evidence that the alleged assault was accidental. The government moved to withdraw the revocation, 2023.
State of Texas v. Justin Wichner, Case No. CR28313, 35th District Court Client was charged with online solicitation of a minor. Guilt/Culpability was not seriously contested. Mr. Wichner was found guilty after a four-day jury trial. State was seeking 20-year sentence. The defense requested a sentence of five years. The jury sentenced Mr. Wichner to five years, 2022.
United States v. Rusty Thompson, Case No. CR 027365, 259th District Court - Not Guilty on all counts in a felony assault case., 2022
United States v. John Chris Glisson - case dismissed on fifth amendment violations, 2020.

Pro bono/Community Service:

St. Mary's Law Alumnus Award for Pro Bono Services, 2009

Honors/Awards:

Not sure of the selection process but was notified that I was selected for the client choice award., Client Choice Award, Avvo, 2023
Selected by Expertise.com as best defense lawyer in Abilene, Best Criminal Defense Lawyer - Abilene, Expertise.com, 2021
Not sure of the selection process but was notified that I was selected for the client choice award., Client Choice Award, Avvo, 2022
National Award presented to Assistant United States Attorney Russell Lorfing for his excellence in tax and financial investigations and in recognition of Mr. Lorfing's leadership, vision, commitment, and outstanding service to IRS Criminal Investigations and to the people of the United States of America., Chief's Investigative Excellence Award, United States Internal Revenue Service, 2015
Presented to Assistant United States Attorney Russell Lorfing for his prosecutorial accomplishment at the Port of Saipan, Prosecutor Accomplishment Award, United States Custom and Border Protection, 2016
Top 100 Criminal Defense, National Trial Lawyers, 2020
Presented to Russell Lorfing for his prosecutorial accomplishments and commitment to the rule of law, Prosecutor Achievement and Accomplishment Award, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2020

Educational Background:

University of Texas at Austin, Bachelor of Liberal Arts
St. Mary's School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence with an emphasis in criminal law, 2009

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

This was a 45-minute presentation on firm management that I gave to the Midland Bar Association. The presentation focused on time management and how to be intentional on doing "deep work" as written about by Professor Cal Newport., Guest Lecturer, The Power of Deep Work: How to Win Clients, Make Millions, and Build a Better Reputation, Midland Bar Association, Midland Legal Community - Criminal And Civil Practitioners, 2023
You Never Saw It Coming: Identity Theft and the Dark Web, 2019: Annual Meeting- 60 minutes - guest lecture.
I was invited by TCDLA to speak at the Prairie Dog conference on federal criminal defense. The 45-minute presentation was an overview of criminal defense practice in federal course, specific to West Texas. The presentation is essentially a how to guide on handling your first federal case., Invited presenter, Prosecuting and Defending Federal Cases, TCDLA - Prairie Dog conference, advanced criminal law course, Criminal, 2023
Two-hour presentation on investigating federal sex offenses. Focused primarily on electronic evidence relating to child human trafficking investigations., Guest Lecturer, Why Meta Matters, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children law enforcement training, Law Enforcement, 2020
Present on compliance issues and drafting search warrants for electronic evidence. Presented at the request of the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas, Guest Lecturer, The New and Improved Search Warrant for the Digital World, Annual Conference for the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas, Prosecutors; Law Enforcement; Legal Community, 2019
60-minute presentation on Identity Theft and the Dark Web., Guest Lecturer, You Never Saw It Coming: Identity Theft and the Dark Web, West Texas Paralegal Association, Legal Community, 2019
Presentation on sextortion and its prevalence with millennials; discuss how statutory changes in the law and resources available to help victims., Guest Lecturer, Digital Sex Crimes in the Age of Millennials: Cyber Stalking, Sextortion, and Revenge Porn, American Inns of Court, Attorneys, Judges, Title XII Coordinators, 2019
Presented to compliance officers of banking institutions throughout West Texas on money laundering tactics and how to identify these issues. 45-minute presentation, Guest Lecturer, Get Rich Quick: A Banker's Guide to Money Laundering, Federal Bureau of Investigation's West Texas Banker's Working Group quarterly meeting, Banking, Law Enforcement, 2019

Other Outstanding Achievements:

Designated as Cyber Hacking and Intellectual Property Attorney (CHIP) at the United States Department of Justice, 2017.

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