At 4:30 a.m., while most people are still asleep, Brian Steel is out of bed and preparing for his two mile morning run. After his run, Steel doesn’t go home. He goes to the gym to lift weights and swim.
Steel is a criminal defense attorney based in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a partner at Steel Law Firm with his wife, Colette Resnik Steel, who is also a practicing criminal defense attorney.
Steel is one of the most famous criminal defense attorneys in the media right now. He became popular in 2024 due to his trial win while representing Jeffery Williams, also known as rapper Young Thug.
After Steel’s success with winning William’s case, Williams had Steel model his clothing brand, boosting the lawyer’s popularity.
In addition, Steel has a memorable reputation among legal personnel.
Chadha Jimenez, a criminal defense attorney in Georgia, said, “Everybody loves him (Steel). He will destroy you in court, always like a gentleman.”
Steel is known for his politeness and professionalism in and outside of the courtroom. He is also known to avoid curse words, even when reading from a transcript in court.
Now, Steel is defending Sean Combs, also known as P. Diddy, in his ongoing criminal defense trial which has sparked many mixed opinions on the internet.
Steel and the other defense attorneys on Comb’s legal team have received a lot of backlash for representing Combs after his heinous, alleged crimes.
Combs has been charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Along with these charges, videos of Comb’s abuse of Casandra Ventura, also known as the singer Cassie, have circulated the internet and further villainized him in the media.
Due to the popularity of this case and the shock value that has come along with it, many people see Combs’ in an awful light. The people who believe Combs is guilty have also criticized Combs’ criminal defense attorneys such as Steel.
UO sophomore and pre-law student Makaia Kessinger explained her mixed feelings of Steel’s role in Comb’s trial.
“ I’m so conflicted with any defense attorney or anyone that’s defending Diddy especially since there is so much evidence against him,” Kessinger said. “ It just feels unethical, especially when the case has to do with the abuse of women.”
I have followed Williams’ RICO case and Combs’ ongoing trial, and despite the criticism, I have grown to respect Steel. The hate he is receiving is unwarranted because Combs is innocent until proven guilty and he has the Constitutional right to be represented in court.
From what I have seen, I don’t believe Combs is innocent, but I trust that the court system will rightfully serve justice to the victims of this case.
The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments guarantee due process which protects the right of an individual to have a fair trial. Although Combs has some intense allegations, he along with any other alleged criminal in the U.S. has the right to a fair trial.
Steel is known for taking on difficult cases such as Combs’ because of his faith in the U.S. Constitution.
“I’ve defended people who cut out eyes and ate them. The system only works when the accused have real representation,” Steel said.
UO sophomore Liam Windhamsmith shared his opinion about criminal legal representation, as a member of the general public.
“ I think it’s a huge blessing that we live in a country where we are free and we’re allowed to have legal representation, no matter the circumstance,” Windhamsmith said. “Regardless of the situation, I think it’s important and morally sound to have defense.”
Although it might seem unethical, Steel is protecting Combs’ constitutional right by representing him and allowing the court to decide his fate.
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