# Top Justice Department lawyer resigns in wave of departures

> Brett Shumate, the assistant attorney general leading the Civil Division, has resigned as the Justice Department faces a string of high-level exits.
- Title: Top Justice Department lawyer resigns in wave of departures
- Summary: Brett Shumate, the assistant attorney general leading the Civil Division, has resigned as the Justice Department faces a string of high-level exits.
- Keywords: justice department, brett shumate, civil division, todd blanche, stephen miller, resignations, trump administration, CBS News
- Source: CBS News — https://cbsnews.com/news/top-lawyer-justice-department-civil-division-brett-shumate-resigns
- Author: Sarah N. Lynch
- Published: 2026-11-09T22:37:58+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: justice department, brett shumate, civil division, todd blanche, stephen miller, resignations, trump administration, news
## Top Civil Division lawyer quits
Brett Shumate, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department's Civil Division, resigned on Monday, effective immediately. His departure marks the latest in a wave of exits from key Justice Department positions.
## Multiple senior departures in one week
Last week, the assistant attorneys general for the Justice Department's national security and civil rights divisions also departed.The U.S.
## Shumate led division through chaos
Under Shumate's leadership, the Civil Division defended countless firings of career civil servants, controversial mass deportation policies, and renovation projects including efforts to tear down the White House's East Wing and replace it with a…
## Miller's criticism cited as factor
Stephen Miller, named White House chief of staff last week, has been critical of Shumate in the past and believes he is not aggressive enough.
## Key takeaway

Brett Shumate, the top lawyer in the Justice Department's Civil Division, resigned on Monday, the latest in a series of departures from key Justice Department positions.