About E. Vaughn
E. Vaughn Dunnigan trained first as a student of literature and later as a lawyer. He earned a B.A. in English from the University of California, Berkeley in 1980 and completed his J.D. at Columbia Law School in 1989. Those years of study framed an interest in appellate reasoning and statutory interpretation that recurs through his subsequent legal work.
His early post‑law school years followed a path familiar to many who move between high-level clerkships and private practice. He served as a law clerk to the Honorable James R. Browning on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1989. He spent time in private practice as an associate in the white‑collar crime department at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in Washington, D.C., in 1990. In 1992 he clerked at the Supreme Court of the United States for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, an experience that placed him at the center of federal appellate work. He moved into public service roles soon after, serving as Deputy Director for the Advisory Board on the Investigative Capability of the Department of Defense in 1993 and later as an Assistant United States Lawyer in 1995 at the United States Lawyer's Office, Northern District of Georgia and in the District of Columbia.
The mix of clerking, private practice and government service equipped him to handle complex litigation and policy questions. His time on the Ninth Circuit and at the Supreme Court exposed him to high‑stakes appellate procedure and constitutional issues. Working in a white‑collar group at a major firm gave him practical experience in investigations and criminal defense work. On the advisory board at the Department of Defense he worked on questions about investigative capability and oversight, a role that drew on both legal analysis and organizational thinking. As an Assistant United States Lawyer he gained experience in federal prosecution and enforcement processes.
Since 2005 he has practiced as a sole practitioner under the name E. Vaughn Dunnigan, P.C. He is admitted to practice in Georgia and has maintained a practice that draws on his appellate background, courtroom experience and familiarity with government investigations. His current practice focuses on appellate litigation, white‑collar defense and advising clients in matters that intersect with federal investigative and enforcement activity.
