After his education, Robert Morvillo joined the U.S. Attorney's office. He first served as law clerk for U.S. District Judge William Herlands, where he developed an interest in prosecution, then he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Chief Trial Assistant, heading up the Frauds Unit.
Robert Morvillo began his distinguished legal career as a prosecutor with his first official case involving a false statement made on a merchant seaman application. He may have cut his teeth on small time crime, but his gift in the courtroom soon became evident. Within three short years of those small beginnings, Morvillo found himself prosecuting the corrupt behavior of the Lindsay administration, against a water commissioner charged with accepting payoffs from construction companies.
He then made a go of private practice work, with Reavis & McGrath, but lost interest after only two years. Apparently, the attorneys didn't go to trial often and perceiving this fact as a lack of confidence, Morvillo wanted nothing to do with it. He quickly returned to the U.S. Attorney's office, this time as chief of the Southern District's criminal division. Ironically, upon his return he worked for U.S. Attorney Whitney North Seymour, Jr., the uncle of Karen Seymour, government prosecutor in the Martha Stewart case.
In 1973, Morvillo left the prosecutor's office to form a Manhattan law firm along with two of his colleagues. This time private practice would be a whole different ballgame, as Morvillo's firm targeted corporate corruption, or 'white-collar' crime; a groundbreaking idea for the time. The firm, dedicated to having a moral posture, decided early on against representing crimes involving drug related issues or organized crime. They were determined to command respect from the legal community and not be viewed as ''those sleazebag lawyers.''
Morvillo has represented an impressive list of high profile executives:
John Zaccaro (husband of former vice-presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro): In the 1987 case, Morvillo's strategic skills and split second decision making were used. Minutes away from cross-examining the key prosecution witness, Morvillo learned of some new and crucial information regarding the witness' mental state. Instead of a lengthy examination, he made the subsequent decision to focus on two simple questions. The answers destroyed the government's case, and Zaccaro was acquitted of all bribery charges against the Queens Cable company.
U.S. Representative Robert Garcia: Originally convicted of extortion, Morvillo appealed. In 1990, a federal appeals court overturned the conviction.
Martha Stewart: This was the most highly publicized case Morvillo had ever been involved in. Accused of insider trading, the two-year trial ended in 2004 with the minimum sentence allowable by law. She surrendered herself before her appeal and began serving the five-year sentence in October of 2004.
Robert Trosten (Chief Financial Officer of Refco): Plead guilty to fraud and conspiracy. Agreed to cooperate for leniency. Trial is set for spring of 2009.
Morvillo obviously lost his fair share of cases, but even then, his courtroom prowess, oratory skills, and strategic case planning abilities are unmistakable.
Robert Morvillo is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is also a former president of the NY Council of Defense Attorneys, a regular contributing writer to the ''White Collar Crime'' column in the New York Law Journal, as well as the editor of the 1990 book entitled, White Collar Crime: Business and Regulatory Offenses. He is a regular public speaker on the subject of corporate crime, as well as his legal career. Mr. Morvillo is also a valuable member of the board of directors with New York's South Nassau Community Hospital.
Although he shines as a veteran of the field of law, Robert Morvillo has some quirks that certainly do humanize this upper echelon of the legal society. It has been quoted that Morvillo is a mess. His office, his clothing, the state of disarray he keeps his paperwork in are all part of who he is. Especially chided during the Martha Stewart case, it was said he could wear an Armani suit and look like he just walked out of K-Mart. Don't be misguided by the his appearance of confusion. Robert Morvillo knows exactly where to find everything he needs.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the courtroom. He has demonstrated remarkable ability to recall vital documents and the smallest details with alarming accuracy, just at the moment he needs them.
Of his own remarkable trial skills, Robert Morvillo has said, ''Well, part of it comes from experience and the other part you are just born with.''
