Veteran criminal-defense attorney Robert Morvillo `60 — known for his no-nonsense approach in the courtroom — shared the lighter side of his personality last week with Colgate University alumni in Manhattan
“I’m the class of 1960 B.C. — B.C. meaning ‘before coeds,'” joked Morvillo, guest speaker at the inaugural Colgate Legal luncheon held at the Harvard Club of New York City.
Morvillo has a stellar reputation for defending top executives accused of white-collar crimes. His most famous client: Martha Stewart.
About 90 alumni in the legal profession took a trip down memory lane with Morvillo as he reminisced about his days at 13 Oak Drive and traced his storied career as a prosecutor turned defense attorney.
In her opening remarks, President Rebecca Chopp said Colgate’s “core grounding in the history of documents, close reading of text, and emphasis on communication and debate is a wonderful background for the legal profession.
The proof? Morvillo’s distinguished legal career.
Morvillo said “it was in law school when I realized what a debt I owed to Colgate for providing me with an educational foundation and preparing me for the world.”
After receiving a political science degree from Colgate in 1960, Morvillo went on to law school at Columbia University, where he was ranked at the top of his class.
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| Robert Morvillo ’60 is a former federal prosecutor who now is one of the most sought after white-collar criminal defense attorneys in the country. |
Following a stint as a federal prosecutor, Morvillo co-founded a Manhattan law firm in 1973 specializing in white-collar crimes. At that time, there was little prosecution of corporate crime. Today, Morvillo’s considered one of the most experienced white-collar criminal defense attorneys in the country.
Morvillo, who also co-authors the “White Collar Crime” column in the New York Law Journal, believes there’s good reason for the government to be interested in devoting resources to the prosecution of white-collar criminals.
“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?”
Along with Stewart, he defended John Zaccaro, husband of former vice-presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro, against bribery charges, and Merrill Lynch in a number of matters.
At the luncheon, he described how the media firestorm surrounding some of these high-profile cases — especially Stewart’s 2004 stock conspiracy trial — changes the dynamic of court proceedings.
According to Morvillo, “prosecutors employ less discretion, defense attorneys act as if they’re going to Hollywood, judges get concerned about their image in the media, and jurors don’t know how to respond when there are reporters in the courtroom.”
For Kristen Shashosa `03, Morvillo’s insight was eye-opening.
Shashosa, a recent law school graduate, was one of a number of young alumni who attended the luncheon.
“As a young attorney, this was a great way to network and connect with highly-regarded Colgate alumni in the legal profession,” said Shashosa.