Clifford Chance

Raskin, Morvillo, O'Callaghan to join Clifford Chance in New York

Leading international law firm Clifford Chance today announced that David Raskin, Christopher J. Morvillo, and Edward C. O’Callaghan are joining the firm as Litigation partners in New York.  Having previously served together as federal prosecutors in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Raskin, Morvillo and O’Callaghan will be reuniting at Clifford Chance in early November to strengthen the firm’s New York-based White Collar, Regulatory Enforcement and Government Investigations practice group.

Raskin is joining Clifford Chance directly from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, where he has handled several of the most important criminal trials and international investigations in recent history, including those arising from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and an ongoing probe into violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.  Morvillo and O’Callaghan, who left the U.S. Attorney’s Office six and three years ago, respectively, are among the most highly regarded white collar defense attorneys in Manhattan.  Morvillo is a partner at the white collar boutique firm, Morvillo, Abramowitz, Grand, Iason, Anello & Bohrer, P.C., and O’Callaghan leads the Government Investigations and White Collar Defense Group at Nixon Peabody. 

The combination of these talented trial lawyers, with their varied law enforcement and defense backgrounds, significantly bolsters the white collar and regulatory capabilities of Clifford Chance, both in the United States and abroad.  All three are in the process of completing their remaining commitments in the coming weeks.

“It's a rare occurrence when three litigators the caliber of David, Chris and Ed agree to move from different organizations to form, and join, a terrific team; we're obviously thrilled they're doing that with us," said David DiBari, Clifford Chance’s U.S. Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice area leader.  "Their decision to reunite at Clifford Chance adds considerable depth and strength to our U.S. Litigation practice – especially in New York – while bolstering our firm's strong litigation offerings worldwide."

Craig Medwick, regional managing partner for Clifford Chance in the Americas, addressed the importance of today’s lateral hires by saying:  “Our Washington, D.C. office already features a superb cross-border investigatory and regulatory litigation team. The ability now to enhance our New York team with considerable white collar criminal defense and trial experience demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the execution of our U.S. litigation strategy.”

These moves represent a substantial step forward in the firm’s efforts to sharpen its U.S. litigation focus on the areas of regulatory, government investigations and white collar, antitrust, commercial litigation and arbitration.  The addition of these seasoned litigators strengthens Clifford Chance’s domestic offerings and better positions the firm to fully leverage cross-border opportunities.

“We have been carefully searching for litigation partners in the U.S. who are not only world class in their capabilities, but well suited to our firm strategically and culturally,” said Jeremy Sandelson, global head of Clifford Chance’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice. “In David, Chris and Ed we have three partners who share our ambitious aspirations, as well as the collegial approach that helps define our firm.  They’re a great fit for Clifford Chance and I am absolutely delighted to welcome them to our team.”

Raskin, 47, joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1999, rising to Chief of the Terrorism & National Security Unit.  He has been at the center of many of the most important criminal investigations and trials brought by the U.S. government during the past decade, including the prosecution of Zacarias Moussaoui, the so-called 20th hijacker in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack, and the ongoing multi-jurisdictional investigation of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the 9/11 mastermind.  Raskin is currently involved in a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigation.  Prior to joining the legal profession in 1996, Raskin was a journalist who wrote for The New York Times, among other publications.

Morvillo, 47, was most recently a partner at Morvillo, Abramowitz.  During the past six years he has represented individual and corporate clients in federal and state white collar matters, parallel enforcement and civil proceedings, and internal investigations.  In particular, Morvillo has extensive experience in representing individuals and entities in insider trading, corporate espionage and securities fraud investigations and prosecutions.  From 1999 to 2005 he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, investigating and trying a wide variety of criminal cases in the areas of fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice, narcotics and counter-terrorism.  He served as one of the lead prosecutors throughout the multi-jurisdictional investigation and 10-month trial of notorious criminal defense attorney Lynne Stewart and her coconspirators.  For his role in that successful prosecution, Morvillo received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service, the Justice Department’s highest award.

O’Callaghan, 42, is Nixon Peabody's Government Investigations and White Collar Defense practice leader.  He has represented several of the largest financial institutions in the world in various regulatory enforcement investigations and proceedings.  O'Callaghan has also represented numerous individuals and entities in investigations and prosecutions involving claims of insider trading, securities fraud, export control violations and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.  From 1999 to 2008, he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney, rising to be Co-Chief of the Terrorism & National Security Unit with Raskin.  While serving in that capacity, O'Callaghan was lead prosecutor on the international financial fraud investigation and prosecutions related to the corruption in the United Nations Oil-for-Food program.

“I am thrilled to be joining Clifford Chance and look forward to expanding its U.S. government investigations practice in New York with Chris and Ed, two of the finest lawyers and people I know,” said Raskin. “We are coming together at exactly the right time, at exactly the right firm, and I expect the results to be extraordinary, both in the United States and abroad.”

“The opportunity to join the stellar global team already in place at Clifford Chance is an extreme honor,” said Morvillo, “but, doing so with Ed and David – two of my closest and most trusted friends from the U.S. Attorney’s Office – actually makes the phrase ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ an understatement.”

“Partnering with David, Chris and the existing Clifford Chance team in New York creates the opportunity to represent clients under government scrutiny on a truly global platform,” O’Callaghan said. “The white collar and regulatory capabilities of Clifford Chance literally span the globe, and I am excited to join such a diverse group of talented people.”