Special Fields Bureau Chief
Russell Wilson, II, joined the Dallas County District Attorney’s (DA) Office as the Special Fields Bureau Chief in 2011, where he heads the Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU). In addition, he oversees the Appellate, Public Integrity, Federal and Mental Health sections at the DA’s office.
Wilson, a former defense attorney and Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist (State Bar of Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2003), who possesses extensive knowledge of state and federal laws, evidence procedure and penal laws involved in multiple practice areas including: domestic abuse, white collar crimes, drug offenses, federal offenses, homicide, assault and sex crimes.
Born in Wiesbaden, Germany, and raised in the Dallas area, Mr. Wilson earned a Bachelor of Arts (1992) degree in political science and a Juris Doctor (1995) from the College of Law at the University of Oklahoma, in Norman, Oklahoma. His educational honors include the Order of Barristers in 1995 and serving as the articles editor of Law Review: American Indian Law Review from 1994 to 1995. As a law student he was the recipient of the ADA Lois Sipuel Fisher Scholarship (1992); Oklahoma City Black Lawyers Association Scholarship (1994); Outstanding Practice Court Team Award (1994); John B. Cheadle Award (1994) and the Golden Gavel Award (1994).
Wilson has been admitted to the State Bar of Texas, the U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, the U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, the U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas and the U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit.
Well-respected and considered a subject matter expert in the legal community, Mr. Wilson has served as a guest speaker for numerous legal seminars including but not limited to: the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TDCLA) Advance Trial Seminar in Tyler, Abilene and Padre Island, Texas, in 2007 and 2008, respectively; the TDCLA Rusty Duncan Seminar in San Antonio, Texas, in 2008 and 2009; and the Criminal Defense Trial Skills and Trial Law College.
His professional associations and memberships include the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers, Board of Directors (2005 to 2011`); State Bar of Texas, Vice Chair, District 6A Grievance Committee (2000-2004); J.L. Turner Criminal Law Section, Chair (2004-2006); J.L. Turner Association, member (1995-present); Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, member (2000-2011); Dallas Bar Association, member (2001-present); William “Mac” Taylor Inn Court, member (2003-present); and the Patrick E. Higginbothem Inn of Court, Barrister (2006-present).