Barry is co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Commercial Litigation Department, co-chair of the White Collar Defense & Investigations Practice Group, and former managing partner of the Washington, D.C., office. Prior to joining Cozen O’Connor in April 2004, Barry was an assistant federal public defender in Washington, D.C. He focuses his practice on complex criminal matters, particularly involving allegations of white-collar crime in federal court.
Barry has extensive jury trial and appellate experience and has successfully defended individuals and corporations under scrutiny for a wide range of criminal activity throughout the country, including price-fixing, money laundering, fraud, environmental offenses, gambling, bribery, corruption, and racketeering. He also advises individuals, including senior and c-suite executives, in complex internal and government-facing investigations, often involving several multinational jurisdictions and authorities.
Barry has significant experience in sentencing and currently serves as a co-chair of the American Bar Association's Criminal Justice Section Sentencing Committee. Previously, he was a co-chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission's Practitioners Advisory Group. Barry frequently writes and speaks about sentencing issues, and serves as a sentencing expert for national media organizations. The Washington Post referred to Barry as an "expert" on federal sentencing law.
Among other honors, Barry has been listed as one of the "Top 10" attorneys in Washington, D.C., by Super Lawyers magazine, has been recognized by Global Investigation Review's Who's Who Legal: Investigations and Business Crime Defense, as well as ranked by Chambers & Partners USA. Clients describe Barry as “a top rate lawyer with great judgment” and having "a great demeanor with clients and regulators, and is unflappable even in the most-tense situations." Additionally, an investigative TV journalist noted in a report that Barry is "considered one of the top white-collar crime attorneys in the country."
Barry co-authors Federal Criminal Practice, an 800-page treatise for criminal defense attorneys.
Barry earned his Bachelor of Arts from Bates College in 1982. He earned his law degree, with high honors, in 1985, from George Washington University, where he was a member of Order of the Coif.
News
August 28, 2019
Best Lawyers selected 138 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 21 of the firm’s national offices for inclusion in the 2020 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
April 25, 2019
The 2019 Washington, D.C, edition of Super Lawyers Magazine, published by Thomson Reuters, has named 13 Cozen O’Connor attorneys to its list of Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.
April 25, 2019
Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the USA, has ranked 57 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the Guide’s 2019 edition.
March 22, 2019
In an article titled From Reed Smith to Pierce Bainbridge, White-Collar Practices Got Publicity Boost From Mueller Probe, Barry Boss, co-chair of the firm’s White Collar Defense & Investigations practice, discusses the impact special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation and past high-profile special counsel probes have had on the business climate for the white collar bar.
November 29, 2018
Barry Boss and Barbara “Biz” Van Gelder, attorneys in Cozen O’Connor’s White Collar Defense & Investigations practice, were named in the Washingtonian magazine’s "Top Lawyers" list.
August 22, 2018
One hundred twenty-six Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 20 of the firm’s national offices have been selected for inclusion in the 2018 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
July 13, 2018
Barry Boss, co-chair of the firm’s Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice, and Stephen Miller, vice chair of the firm’s Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice are featured in GamblingCompliance.
May 15, 2018
Fourteen Cozen O’Connor attorneys have been named 2018 Super Lawyers or Rising Stars by Super Lawyers Magazine Washington, D.C. edition, published by Thomson Reuters.
April 13, 2018
Barry Boss, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice, spoke with The National Law Journal about latest on Mark Zuckerberg testifying before Senate.
March 27, 2018
Barry Boss, co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice, spoke with the National Law Journal about the president’s legal team.
December 13, 2017
Cozen O’Connor Criminal Defense & Internal Investigation Practice Group members Barry Boss and Barbara “Biz” Van Gelder have been named 2017 “Top Lawyers” by Washingtonian magazine.
August 23, 2017
Lawyers were selected for inclusion in the 2018 edition based on a rigorous peer-review that has been developed and defined for more than 30 years.
August 03, 2017
Barry Boss discusses the conclusion of Bodog founder Calvin Ayre’s criminal case in GamblingCompliance.
May 26, 2017
Chambers USA recognized 47 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields; 14 attorneys were recognized nationally and 11 were ranked in the top band.
May 15, 2017
Selection to Super Lawyers is based on peer nominations and evaluations are combined with independent research. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement.
August 15, 2016
Sixty-two Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 13 of the firm’s national offices have been selected for inclusion in the 2017 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
May 27, 2016
Chambers USA recognized 41 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields; 12 attorneys were recognized nationally and 11 were ranked in the top band.
May 13, 2016
Barry is the only criminal defense attorney in the D.C.-area on the list this year.
August 17, 2015
The current edition is based on more than five million detailed evaluations by the top lawyers of the country. This list will be included in dozens of city and regional publications in the United States including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.
July 06, 2015
Chambers USA recognized 37 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields; 12 attorneys were recognized nationally and 10 were ranked in the top band.
April 27, 2015
Washington, D.C., April 27, 2015 – The 2015 Washington, D.C., edition of Super Lawyers Magazine, published by Thomson Reuters, has named 11 Cozen O’Connor attorneys to its annual list of Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.
August 18, 2014
In an AP article titled ''Lighter Sentences Sought for Some Business Crimes,'' Barry Boss, co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice Group, discusses the U.S. Sentencing Commission's review of sentencing policies for white collar criminals.
May 30, 2014
Chambers USA recognized 29 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields; six attorneys were recognized nationally and eight were ranked in the top band. Stanley Sher was named a “Senior Statesman” in the “Transportation: Shipping: Regulatory (outside New York)” industry, for the pivotal role Sher plays in the firm’s continued success in the transportation industry.
May 25, 2014
In an article titled ''Pleading guilty could cut defendant's sentence,'' Barry Boss, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice Group, discusses the factors considered in the federal sentencing guidelines for fraud conviction. In a related article titled "Rewards uneven in mortgage fraud cases,'' Barry discusses the difficulty of trying to harmonize sentencing breaks and the value of 5K1.1 motions for leniency.
May 01, 2014
Washington, D.C., May 1, 2014 – The 2014 Washington, D.C., edition of Super Lawyers Magazine, published by Thomson Reuters, has named nine Cozen O’Connor attorneys to its list of Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.
August 28, 2013
Forty-six Cozen O’Connor lawyers from eight of the firm’s national offices have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America. Attorneys were selected based on a rigorous peer-review of more than 4.3 million detailed evaluations. The list will be included in publications such as The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and New York magazine.
July 25, 2013
In an article titled ''Feds Charge Hedge Fund SAC Capital In NY Case,'' Barry Boss, co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice Group, Vice Chair of the Commercial Litigation Department and Office Managing Partner of the firm’s D.C. office, shares his insights into the SAC Capital Advisors indictment.
June 07, 2013
Barry Boss (Washington, D.C.) of the firm's Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice Group in featured in the Daily Report regarding the most recent allegations of performance-enhancement drug use in major league baseball. The article titled, "Big Firms Score Baseball Drug Clients," notes Barry's representation of Detroit Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta.
May 26, 2013
PHILADELPHIA – May 26, 2013 – Chambers USA has recognized 29 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their fields; five attorneys were recognized nationally and five were ranked in the top band.
January 31, 2013
In an article titled, ''Ex-Jefferies Arrest Shows Market Lacking Transparency,'' Barry Boss, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice Group, comments on the arrest of Jesse Litvak, a former Jefferies & Co. mortgage-bond trader, and the likelihood that similar arrests will follow. ''He's the first, but won't be the last,'' said Barry.
August 28, 2012
Anne Madonia and Barry Boss Full-Tilt Settlement Featured in The Am Law Daily
August 03, 2012
Barry Boss Discusses Full Tilt Poker Transaction in The National Law Journal, The Legal Intelligencer, Law360 and Numerous Other Publications
July 31, 2012
Cozen O’Connor Represents Full Tilt Poker in Transaction with PokerStars and United States Department of Justice
July 24, 2012
In an article titled, ''Post-Hinckley Changes Make Insanity Defense Hard for Colorado Suspect,'' Barry Boss, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice Group, discusses whether James Holmes, the man accused of killing 12 people and wounding 58 at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater, will mount an insanity defense.
June 11, 2012
Chambers USA has recognized 28 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their fields; five attorneys were recognized nationally and three were ranked in the top band.
June 05, 2012
Barry Boss, co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Department, discusses the rash of juror dismissals at the Roger Clemens perjury trial in Bloomsberg Businessweek article titled, ''Clemens Judge Weighs Dismissing Fourth Juror From Trial.''
June 16, 2011
Chambers USA has recognized 27 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their fields.
February 09, 2011
Forty-three Cozen O’Connor lawyers from six of the firm’s national offices have been selected for inclusion in the 2011 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Lawyers were selected for inclusion in the 2011 edition based on a rigorous peer–review of more than 3.1 million detailed evaluations.
January 20, 2011
In an article titled, ''Insanity Defense Could Be A Tough Sell For Loughner,'' Barry Boss, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice Group, comments on the attempted assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, specifically regarding an insanity defense. Boss states, ''The defense now has to prove by clear and convincing evidence, which is an extremely high burden ...that the defendant did not understand the wrongfulness of his conduct.''
June 18, 2010
Chambers USA has recognized 18 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their fields. The annual rankings are based on client and peer references, as well as information gathered from Chambers’ own independent research. Given both nationally and regionally, the rankings are based on qualities including technical legal ability, professional conduct, and client service.
September 29, 2009
Forty-two Cozen O’Connor attorneys from seven of the firm’s national offices have been selected for inclusion in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
March 25, 2009
Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Designated 2009 Washington, D.C., Super Lawyers By Law & Politics
March 16, 2009
Cozen O’Connor members Barry Boss and Hayes A. Hunt recently lectured on ''Witness Preparation and Direct Examination,'' as part of the District of Columbia Bar’s Essential Trial Skills Series. Boss and Hunt examined techniques and strategies for effective witness preparation and direct examination, including maximizing a witness' potential, while minimizing his or her weaknesses. They also discussed ethical issues in the context of witness preparation and direct examination.
April 08, 2008
Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Designated 2008 Washington, D.C., Super Lawyers by Law & Politics
March 20, 2008
Cozen O’Connor Members Barry Boss, Bernard S. Grimm And Hayes A. Hunt Lecture on Trial Skills for D.C. Bar
January 16, 2008
Cozen O’Connor Forms New Practice Group to Address Credit Market Crisis
Publications
July 02, 2018
Barry Boss and Rebecca Brodey author this article in The Enforcement MAZE.
August 03, 2015
Barry Boss, Stephen Miller, and Rebecca Brodey discuss the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division’s latest investigation – airline capacity restrictions.
June 18, 2015
While the case highlights the growing tension between state and federal marijuana law, it is also welcome relief for employers who have or are considering a zero-tolerance drug policy based on federal law’s continued classification of marijuana as an illicit drug.
March 31, 2014
In an article titled “Immaculate Suspension: Non-Analytical Positive Doping Violations from USADA to MLB,” Barry Boss and Rebecca Brodey, of the Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice Group, discuss a new era of combating drug use in baseball and other sports, one where athletes are increasingly suspended for doping violations not because of a positive drug test, but based on non-analytical evidence.
February 16, 2012
Department of Justice and the Wire Act - Gaming Law Review and Economics - Barry Boss of the Commercial Litigation Group was featured in a roundtable discussion, hosted by the Gaming Law Review and Economics, to discuss the Department of Justice’s recent pronouncement on the Wire Act. Moderated by Sue Schneider, the panel dissects the Wire Act, providing a brief overview of its history, the various ways it has been applied in the past, and what the DOJ’s new policy implicates for future interpretations of the Act.
January 01, 2012
Pretrial release strategies, alternatives to prosecution, discovery angles, plea bargaining and agreement suggestions, sentence negotiation tactics, recent case-based examples, dozens of pretrial motions with memoranda, hundreds of practice tips, and much more.
March 11, 2011
Hold ’Em or Draw: The Strange Case of U.S. Enforcement Efforts Against Internet Gambling and Peer-to-Peer Poker - White Collar Crime Report - While federal and state legislators around the nation parse bills to regulate Internet poker, federal prosecutors have been quietly forfeiting Internet gaming proceeds under federal forfeiture statutes. These efforts follow several notable recent prosecutions of individuals for dealing with Internet gaming proceeds.
September 01, 2008
Money Laundering Defense After Santos And Regalado Cuellar - NACDL's Champion Magazine - For some time, prosecutors and money laundering
charges have had a romantic relationship. For many years, the breadth of the statute was matched only by its draconian sentencing guideline ranges. In 2001, the Sentencing Commission amended U.S.S.G. § 2S1.1 to tie offense levels for money laundering more closely to the underlying conduct that was the source of the criminally derived funds.2 Many expected that this amendment would eviscerate the plea
August 14, 2008
The summer is almost over, and the entertainment industry has made it through the Writers Guild of America's strike, which we previously outlined in the Fall 2007 issue.
Events & Seminars
Past Events
June 20, 2019 - Santa Monica, CA
May 09, 2019 - Wichita, KS
March 07, 2019 - New Orleans, Louisiana
September 06, 2018 - Orlando, FL
April 27, 2018 - Washington, DC
March 08, 2017 - Miami Beach, FL
June 16, 2016 - San Diego, CA
June 01, 2016 - Orlando, FL
May 26, 2016 - Washington, D.C.
April 15, 2016 - New York, NY
March 03, 2016 - San Diego, CA
January 07, 2016 - Washington, DC
October 21, 2015 - New York, NY
June 11, 2015 - Arlington, VA
March 12, 2015 - Gulfport, FL
March 05, 2015 - Miami Beach, FL
February 24, 2015 - Washington, D.C.
October 23, 2014 - Washington, D.C.
March 19, 2014 - Gulfport, FL
October 31, 2013 - Washington, D.C.
October 24, 2013 - Washington, D.C.
November 09, 2012 - Greenbelt, MD
November 01, 2012 - New York, NY
October 26, 2012 - Washington, DC
March 15, 2012 - St. Petersburg, FL
February 01, 2012 - Washington, DC
May 04, 2011 - Lake Buena Vista, FL
April 26, 2011 - Philadelphia, PA
February 09, 2011 - Washington, D.C.
February 01, 2011 - Washington, D.C.
December 01, 2009 - St. Petersburg, FL
January 01, 2009 - Palm Springs, CA
December 01, 2008 - New York, NY
May 01, 2008 - San Francisco, CA
January 01, 2008 - Washington, DC