Prominent D.C. litigator dies at 65 while preparing for trial in Arizona

The Washington Post · Leonard Bernstein · 2026-11-05 11:00 UTC

Dane Butswinkas, a civil and criminal litigator who last year helped thwart President Donald Trump’s attempt to crush a prominent U.S. law firm, has died. He was 65.

Dane Butswinkas, a civil and criminal litigator who last year helped thwart President Donald Trump’s attempt to crush a prominent U.S. law firm, has died. He was 65.

By Leonard Bernstein

Dane Butswinkas’s career was filled with high-profile cases. He helped thwart Trump’s attempt to crush a prominent U.S. law firm.

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