Meet Lil Durk's Attorney Brian Steel, YSL Trial Veteran With Decades Of Criminal Defense Experience
Lil Durk has been found not guilty at his murder-for-hire trial on September 11, 2026. Following the latest verdict in the case, the rapper's attorney, Brian Steel, has come into the spotlight.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleRapper Lil Durk, born Durk Banks, was found not guilty on September 11, 2026, in his federal murder-for-hire trial tied to the 2022 killing of Quando Rondo's cousin. Prosecutors accused him of orchestrating a revenge plot for King Von's death, but his defense team, led by Brian Steel, Drew Findling, and others, argued a tsunami of reasonable doubt.
Steel dismantled cooperating witnesses as self-serving snitches and showed no evidence of payment, leading the jury to acquit after three days of deliberation. Amid the latest verdict in the case, Lil’s career and personal life have come into the limelight. But apart from that, his attorney, Brian Steel, has also grabbed a lot of attention.
Brian Steel previously secured freedom for Young Thug
Brian Steel is the same high-profile defense attorney who made national headlines representing Young Thug in the YSL racketeering trial. The 60-year-old graduated with a BBA from the University of Michigan in 1987 and a JD from Fordham University School of Law in 1990.
Brian has been practicing since 1991 and founded The Steel Law Firm, P.C. in 1997 with his wife Colette, who is also an attorney. He is regarded as Georgia's top criminal appellate lawyer, with around 300 published opinions and 45 reversals.
Brian Steel became a household name in hip-hop during Young Thug's YSL RICO case, the longest trial in Georgia history at over 22 months. During that trial, he was held in contempt and detained in jail for refusing to reveal how he learned about a private ex parte meeting between the judge, prosecutors, and a witness. The contempt order was later overturned by the Supreme Court of Georgia, and the judge was removed from the case.
Thug ultimately took a non-negotiated plea in October 2024 and was released on 15 years' probation. Steel's journey took a different turn after that. Drake and PartyNextDoor even named a track Brian Steel after him on their 2025 album Some Sexy Songs 4 U. In April 2025, he joined Sean 'Diddy' Combs' federal defense team, and in March 2026, he replaced Jonathan Brayman to join Durk's team pro hac vice at Young Thug's personal request.
Brian Steel's net worth has not been publicly verified. One report has claimed it to be over USD 10 million, but that figure is still unverified and not an official amount.
Lil Durk has been acquitted of the charges related to a case from 2022
A federal jury in Los Angeles acquitted rapper Lil Durk on September 11, 2026, after three days of deliberation in his murder-for-hire trial. Durk, real name Durk Devontay Banks, 33, was found not guilty on all charges he faced in connection with the August 19, 2022 shooting near the Beverly Center.
The charges included conspiracy, using interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death, and firearms charges carrying a maximum of life in prison. Prosecutors had alleged Durk paid OTF associates to target rival rapper Quando Rondo as revenge for King Von's 2020 killing, which resulted in the death of Rondo's cousin Saviay'a 'Lul Pab' Robinson.
His two co-defendants, Deandre Wilson and David Lindsey, were also acquitted of murder-for-hire but were convicted on stalking-related counts. Despite the acquittal, Durk remains in custody. He is still set to face a separate trial scheduled for October 5, 2026, on murder-related racketeering and weapons charges that were severed from this trial.
What are your thoughts about the latest update on Lil Durk’s case? Let us know.
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Also Read: Lil Durk Acquitted Of Murder-For-Hire Charges, Meet His Wife India Royale And His Seven Children
