On August 30, 2023, in United States v. Avenatti, the Second Circuit (Walker, Raggi, Park) put another nail in the coffin of disgraced former celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti. Avenatti became well-known in 2018 due to his...more
On Tuesday, former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver received a welcomed victory, albeit partial, in the Government’s long running prosecution accusing him of fraud, extortion and money laundering....more
On July 13, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated the conviction of former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who was convicted in 2015 on seven counts of honest services fraud, Hobbs Act...more
On June 27, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the conviction of former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell, narrowing the definition of an “official act” in federal corruption cases. McDonnell v. United States, No. 15-474 (2016)....more
Governor McDonnell’s attorneys put it this way: The Governor’s acts weren’t “official” because “none were any more remarkable than acts that governors unthinkingly take hundreds of times weekly for countless constituents,...more