var googletag = googletag || {}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.pubads().disableInitialLoad(); });
device = device.default;
//this function refreshes [adhesion] ad slot every 60 second and makes prebid bid on it every 60 seconds // Set timer to refresh slot every 60 seconds function setIntervalMobile() { if (!device.mobile()) return if (adhesion) setInterval(function(){ googletag.pubads().refresh([adhesion]); }, 60000); } if(device.desktop()) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { leaderboard_top = googletag.defineSlot('/22018898626/LC_Article_detail_page', [728, 90], 'div-gpt-ad-1591620860846-0').setTargeting('pos', ['1']).setTargeting('div_id', ['leaderboard_top']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); } else if(device.tablet()) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { leaderboard_top = googletag.defineSlot('/22018898626/LC_Article_detail_page', [320, 50], 'div-gpt-ad-1591620860846-0').setTargeting('pos', ['1']).setTargeting('div_id', ['leaderboard_top']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); } else if(device.mobile()) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { leaderboard_top = googletag.defineSlot('/22018898626/LC_Article_detail_page', [320, 50], 'div-gpt-ad-1591620860846-0').setTargeting('pos', ['1']).setTargeting('div_id', ['leaderboard_top']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); } googletag.cmd.push(function() { // Enable lazy loading with... googletag.pubads().enableLazyLoad({ // Fetch slots within 5 viewports. // fetchMarginPercent: 500, fetchMarginPercent: 100, // Render slots within 2 viewports. // renderMarginPercent: 200, renderMarginPercent: 100, // Double the above values on mobile, where viewports are smaller // and users tend to scroll faster. mobileScaling: 2.0 }); });
Download App | FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
 Upload Your Resume   Employers / Post Jobs 

The Life and Career of Rober G. Morvillo, Defense Attorney

published November 10, 2008

By CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search left
Published By
( 82 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.
<<Admitted to the New York State Bar in 1964, Morvillo is the son of M. Victor Morvillo, a St. John's graduate who was never able to practice law himself due to unfortunate events surrounding the Great Depression. Robert began his education at Colgate University, where he earned a political science degree in 1960 and then went on to receive a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law. While attending Columbia, he was an editor of the Law Review and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. Ranking at the top of his class, he made law review in 1963, the same year he married elementary school teacher, Catherine Shields.

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 is quoted as saying, "How can we arrest poor people for shoplifting, selling marijuana or overindulging in alcohol and then ignore corporate embezzlers or fat-cat fixers simply because they give a lot of money to charity or are well connected politically?" The decision proved to be a lucrative one. The firm has since grown from three lawyers, to three dozen.

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.

Michael Gansas (Staten Island Ferry Capt.): Morvillo worked his magic in this 2004 case as he pled for an unusual deal that would clear the former boat captain of all charges. He had originally been charged with lying to Coast Guard investigators and pled guilty to seaman's manslaughter.

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.''

Alternative Summary

Harrison is the founder of BCG Attorney Search and several companies in the legal employment space that collectively gets thousands of attorneys jobs each year. Harrison’s writings about attorney careers and placement attract millions of reads each year. Harrison is widely considered the most successful recruiter in the United States and personally places multiple attorneys most weeks. His articles on legal search and placement are read by attorneys, law students and others millions of times per year.

More about Harrison

About LawCrossing

LawCrossing has received tens of thousands of attorneys jobs and has been the leading legal job board in the United States for almost two decades. LawCrossing helps attorneys dramatically improve their careers by locating every legal job opening in the market. Unlike other job sites, LawCrossing consolidates every job in the legal market and posts jobs regardless of whether or not an employer is paying. LawCrossing takes your legal career seriously and understands the legal profession. For more information, please visit www.LawCrossing.com.

published November 10, 2008

By CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search left
( 82 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.