Michael M. Purpura

Newport Beach

Michael M. Purpura's career includes serving as assistant counsel to President George W. Bush and deputy counsel to President Donald Trump, handling complex separation-of-powers issues between the executive and legislative branches.

His earlier work as a commercial litigator and assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York further solidified his reputation, having successfully tried numerous cases and argued several appeals.

Among the notable cases Purpura has led are those involving former White House Counsel Pat Cipollone and his Deputy Patrick Philbin, related to the DOJ investigations into the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol and the handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. He also represents former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe in these investigations.

"I have been very fortunate to serve twice in the White House Counsel's Office and also as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York," Purpura said. "In many of my representations since entering private practice, there has been tremendous media and political attention; I have found that my experience has been valuable in helping our clients successfully navigate public attention as well as the legal issues."

Purpura's clientele extends to prominent figures in the corporate world, including former WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, in investigations by the DOJ and the SEC, and Chris Dawson, CEO of Hawaiian Native Corporation, in a federal investigation. His representation of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in a DOJ and SEC investigation and Southern California Edison in connection with major wildfires in California underscores the breadth of his expertise.

In addition to representing individual and corporate clients, Purpura was recently retained by the State of Hawaii to assist with legal and strategic issues arising from the devastating Maui wildfires in 2023. This engagement demonstrates his ability to provide counsel on a broad range of legal challenges, including those with significant public and environmental impacts.

"Our responsibilities in the matter are very broad, including advising the Attorney General on her investigation into the response," Purpura said. "Additionally, our team prepared and represented the State's witnesses who testified at the Congressional hearings investigating the cause of the catastrophic Maui wildfires."

Purpura is also actively involved in legal and educational organizations, serving on the board of governors for the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Orange County Chapter and as a trustee for The Linsly School.