Brian Steel filed for permission to join Lil Durk’s defense team in the rapper’s federal murder for hire case, according to court documents viewed by Billboard on March 6.
The filing seeks admission pro hac vice so Steel can appear in California without committing unauthorized practice of law, the documents state. Steel asked to replace attorney Jonathan M. Brayman on Durk’s legal team.
Steel said in his filing that he is in good standing to practice law in Georgia. If the court approves the application, he would join a high profile team that includes attorney Drew Findling.
Steel rose to national attention representing Young Thug in the YSL RICO trial. Billboard reported Steel met Thug in the early 2010s and later represented him in the sprawling RICO case, which left the Atlanta rapper behind bars from May 2022 through October 2024.
The YSL case ended in October 2024 when Young Thug was sentenced to 15 years of probation and time served, the reporting says. Steel also joined Diddy’s defense team in April, which the article notes came six months before Diddy was sentenced to 50 months for violating federal prostitution laws.
Steel told Billboard in a recent interview that he builds close relationships with clients and their families. He said, "I get very close to my clients. I meet their families," and added he defends people with ethical zeal and personal investment, the article reports.
Case Background And Immediate Implications
Durk, born Durk Banks, has been jailed since October 2024 after federal agents believed he was attempting to take a private flight to Italy, the reporting says. His trial has been delayed from April to Aug. 20.
Prosecutors allege Durk organized a plot to kill rival rapper Quando Rondo during a 2022 shooting in Los Angeles, according to the article. The prosecution says Rondo was the intended target but that Rondo’s cousin Lul Pap, identified as Saviay’a Robinson, was killed in the crossfire.
Co-defendants sought separation from Durk’s trial, but Judge Michael Fitzgerald denied that request, the reporting states. Prosecutors contend the alleged plot was retaliation for the 2020 killing of King Von, identified in the article as Dayvon Bennett, who was a close friend and frequent collaborator of Durk.
If the court admits Steel, his prior high profile work on complex RICO and federal cases will add experience to Durk’s already notable defense team. The filing and attached background details establish the immediate procedural posture ahead of the August trial date.
