Danielle Sassoon, who previously served as the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has joined the litigation boutique Clement & Murphy PLLC as a partner. The firm, co-founded by former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, announced her addition on Monday. ([news.bloomberglaw.com](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/ny-prosecutor-who-quit-over-adams-case-joins-paul-clements-firm?utm_source=openai))
Sassoon’s tenure as acting U.S. Attorney was marked by her resignation in February 2025, following a directive from then-Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. She declined to comply, citing concerns over a potential “quid pro quo” arrangement between the Department of Justice and Mayor Adams. ([ny1.com](https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2025/02/13/manhattan-u-s-attorney-resigns-after-refusing-orders-to-drop-case-against-mayor-eric-adams?utm_source=openai))
Prior to her role as acting U.S. Attorney, Sassoon had a distinguished career as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York. She was instrumental in securing convictions in high-profile cases, including those against Larry Ray for extortion and sex trafficking, and Sam Bankman-Fried for fraud and money laundering. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danielle_Sassoon?utm_source=openai))
After her resignation, Sassoon joined the Manhattan Institute as a senior fellow in July 2025, where she contributed to policy research and writing. ([cityandstateny.com](https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2025/07/former-sdny-atty-danielle-sassoon-joins-manhattan-institute/406911/?utm_source=openai))
Paul Clement, in a statement, described Sassoon as a “superstar” and noted that her addition is a “perfect complement to the firm’s deep appellate bench.” ([news.bloomberglaw.com](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/ny-prosecutor-who-quit-over-adams-case-joins-paul-clements-firm?utm_source=openai))
Clement & Murphy PLLC, established in 2022 by Paul Clement and Erin Murphy, focuses on Supreme Court and appellate litigation. The firm has been involved in several significant cases, including representing the National Rifle Association in a Second Amendment case before the Supreme Court.
Sassoon’s move to Clement & Murphy reflects a broader trend of former federal prosecutors transitioning to specialized litigation boutiques that handle high-stakes appellate matters.