Former Kentucky U.S. Attorney Coleman Joins Frost Brown Todd

Russell Coleman, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, has rejoined Frost Brown Todd as a partner in its investigations practice and as a principal in the firm’s lobbying subsidiary.

Coleman practiced at Frost Brown Todd for two years before President Trump appointed him U.S. attorney in 2017. He resigned that position Jan. 20.

“We followed Russell’s work as U.S. attorney and couldn’t have been prouder to call him an alum,” firm Chairman Robert Sartin said in a statement. “It is an honor to have him bring that depth of experience and breadth of relationships back.”

As U.S. attorney, Coleman focused his efforts on drug trafficking and violent crime and led efforts to tackle fraud associated with Covid-19 relief. He said he expects Covid-related work to dominate his practice for the next decade, particularly as the federal government investigates CARES Act fraud and the Paycheck Protection Program.

“This could be anybody from the coffee shop around the corner that didn’t fill out the paperwork correctly to a truly fraudulent effort,” he said.

Many businesses that received federal aid are not heavily regulated and will require additional legal help, Coleman said. “We’re talking about a lot of small businesses and nonprofits,” he said. “They received billions of federal dollars.”

Frost Brown Todd is in the process of reorganizing its government investigative department “to deal with this tsunami of Covid-related cases,” he said.

Coleman will also be a principal with CivicPoint, the law firm’s public affairs subsidiary. The lobbying arm primarily represents energy and IT companies, local governments, and education providers.

Coleman previously worked as an FBI special agent and as legal counsel and senior adviser to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.).