U.S. Attorney Richard Roper is stepping down as the top federal prosecutor in North Texas to become a senior partner at a Dallas-based law firm, where he will handle white-collar fraud and corporate investigation cases.
A Fort Worth native, Roper will work in Thompson & Knight’s Fort Worth and Dallas offices. A firm with more than 400 attorneys, Thompson & Knight has other offices in Texas as well as in New York, Mexico and overseas.
Roper, 51, has served as U.S. attorney since 2004, but he has worked as a federal prosecutor since 1987. He previously had worked at the Tarrant County district attorney’s office.
"It is going to be difficult," Roper said of moving to the private sector. "I’ve been a prosecutor for 26 years. But I see it as a great challenge. . . . Thompson & Knight is one of the best law firms in the country, and I’m honored to go to work with them."
First Assistant U.S. Attorney James Jacks will be appointed the acting lead prosecutor until a replacement is named. Federal prosecutors are appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. That means Barack Obama will appoint a new prosecutor for the 100-county North Texas district.
M. Lawrence Hicks Jr., administrative partner at Thompson & Knight, said Roper’s first day will be Monday.
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