Winston Team Led by Tom Melsheimer Recognized in Litigator of the Week Column

A Winston team led by Tom Melsheimer was featured in the Litigator of the Week column by the Am Law Litigation Daily on June 23, 2025.

The recognition stems from an acquittal secured on behalf of client Ruel Hamilton, a Dallas real estate developer, on charges that he paid bribes to two city councilmembers in exchange for support for a housing project and political favors. The defense team previously won a Fifth Circuit decision overturning Hamilton’s prior conviction in the case and eight-year prison sentence. Last week, after a six-day re-trial, the trial team convinced federal jurors to find Hamilton not guilty on all three counts he faced.

The team also included former partner Abbe Lowell, partner Damien Diggs, and associates Alex Wolens and Emily Wilkinson, with additional support from partner Christopher Man and associate Kaitlin Pierce Marino.