Nicole McClain Walton, of counsel attorney at JD James Law, brings over a decade of experience in complex litigation, government investigations, and criminal law. Her practice focuses on criminal defense, congressional and agency oversight matters, and civil protection order litigation.
Nicole began her legal career after earning her J.D. from The George Washington University Law School in 2013. During law school, she served as a student attorney with Rising for Justice and was awarded a prestigious fellowship with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was recognized for academic achievement.
Nicole clerked for the late Honorable Patricia A. Broderick of the D.C. Superior Court, handling matters on a criminal felony calendar. She subsequently served for six years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
During her tenure, she prosecuted a wide range of serious criminal matters across several divisions, including violent crime, narcotics trafficking, domestic violence, sex offenses, and post-conviction litigation. She has tried over 30 cases to verdict in both jury and bench trials and received multiple Special Achievement Awards for her service.
In 2021, Nicole was appointed Senior Oversight and Investigations Counsel to U.S. Senate Majority Whip and Judiciary Committee Chair Richard J. Durbin. In that role, she led congressional oversight of key Department of Justice components, including the FBI, DEA, and Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Ms. Walton later joined the Biden-Harris Administration as Senior Counsel for Oversight in the Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She entered private practice in 2025, founding The Law Office of Nicole McClain Walton, PLLC.
She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Maryland.