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J. Bruce Maffeo

Member

: New York
45 Broadway
16th Floor
New York, NY 10006
P: (212) 883-4951
TF: (800) 437-7040
F: (917) 521-5866

J. Bruce Maffeo

Recent News:
18 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Named New York Metro Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
Super Lawyers has named 17 Cozen O'Connor attorneys to its 2018 New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars list. Twelve were recognized as Super Lawyers and five were named "Rising Stars."
More

Bruce is a former federal and state prosecutor who has practiced criminal law for more than 35 years. During that time, he has tried virtually every type of criminal case - from securities fraud to murder and has represented individuals ranging from celebrities to indigent clients as a member of the Criminal Justice Act panel of the Southern District of New York. As a result of his professional accomplishments, Bruce was inducted in 2009 as a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and recently completed a two-year term as chair of its Downstate New York Committee.

Bruce also has conducted internal investigations for various companies and labor unions and currently serves as the Ethical Practices Officer for AFSCME District Council 37, New York City’s largest municipal union, where he is responsible for investigating allegations of corruption among that union’s approximately 120,000 members.

Between 1984 and 1989, Bruce was a prosecutor in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Strike Force for the Eastern District of New York. There, he was responsible for bringing a number of historic RICO prosecutions, including United States v. Schwimmer, 924 F. 2d 443 (2d Cir. 1991), the first major prosecution of the savings and loan crisis of the 1980's and a case that dramatically expanded the scope of liability for union pension fund advisers. Based on his efforts, in that case, Bruce testified before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee about the challenges involved in investigating complex financial crime cases.

In addition to his fellowship in the American College of Trial Lawyers, Bruce consistently has been selected as a Super Lawyer and Best Lawyer in his practice area. He is admitted to practice law in the states of New York and New Hampshire, as well as the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the Districts of Connecticut and New Hampshire, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

Experience

Negotiated a deferred prosecution agreement on behalf of a former member of the Trinidadian national soccer team who was arrested at an airport for possession of cocaine and charged with drug trafficking. The government initially offered to drop the drug charge if our client would plead guilty to a count of lying to federal agents, but we convinced prosecutors to accept the deferred prosecution agreement -- under which our client will have no criminal record -- after submitting multiple character reference letters on his behalf, one including from the Archbishop of Trinidad.
Served as lead counsel to a car carrier in a five-year federal antitrust investigation into price-fixing, bid-rigging, and customer allocation by all major players in the roll-on/roll-off shipping industry. The firm also conducted an internal investigation into allegations. After intensive negotiations and taking the company through the Antitrust Division’s formal inability to pay process, the carrier plead guilty on December 7, 2017, to one count of Sherman Act conspiracy in exchange for a reduced fine of $21 million (USD) with no forfeiture and no restitution.
Served as lead counsel in United States v. Brian Steppig, where we represented a manager of a national manufacturer of aluminum hydrochloride who was charged with participating in a bi-lateral conspiracy to rig bids and was sentenced to probation after the government offered a dramatically discounted plea on the eve of trial. We also successfully concluded the carry-on civil litigation with no payment or admission of wrongdoing ending a five-year representation.
Representing two container carrier clients in an antitrust U.S. Department of Justice investigation, opened in March 2017, into meetings of voluntary shipping alliances (VSA) within the ocean carrier industry. A total of 19 companies have been subpoenaed in connection with the investigation.
Conducted an internal Investigation into workplace harassment on behalf of Actor’s Equity arising from the suicide of the longest-standing member of the cast of Chicago.
Successfully represented the former Executive Assistant to the General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in an internal disciplinary proceeding brought by a court-appointed monitor.
Successfully negotiated a non-criminal disposition of former Mixed Martial Arts Champion Conor McGregor in an assault case brought by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.
Negotiated a non-criminal disposition of a leading New York interior construction firm in a years-long investigation brought by the New York County District Attorney’s Office.

News

18 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Named New York Metro Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

September 21, 2018

Super Lawyers has named 17 Cozen O'Connor attorneys to its 2018 New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars list. Twelve were recognized as Super Lawyers and five were named "Rising Stars."

126 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named to the Best Lawyers in America

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.

Accountant Cops to Faking Filings to Hide Union Boss's Theft

August 02, 2018

Bruce Maffeo, a member of Cozen O’Connor’s Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice, is quoted in an article in Law360 discussing embezzlement and falsifying information charges against the founder of Armao LLP.

Mixed martial arts star McGregor pleads guilty to role in NYC melee

July 26, 2018

Bruce Maffeo, a member of Cozen O'Connor's Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice Group, discusses mixed martial arts fighter, Connor McGregor’s guilty plea in Reuters.

Six Cozen O’Connor Lawyers Named 2018 “Lawyers of the Year” by Best Lawyers in America

September 29, 2017

Cozen O’Connor is proud to announce that six of the firm’s lawyers have been recognized as “Lawyers of the Year” in their respective practices by Best Lawyers in America, one of the oldest and most highly regarded peer review publications in the legal profession.

100 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers Named to the Best Lawyers in America

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.

Former Judge: Panel May Have Improperly Dropped Charges Against Playboy Teamster

June 28, 2017

Bruce Maffeo, a member of Cozen O’Connor’s Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice, comments on that charges the International Brotherhood of Teamsters dropped against his client William C. Smith, III.

3-Ex-Jefferies Bond Trader Litvak Guilty on One of 10 Fraud Counts

January 27, 2017

Bruce Maffeo, a member of Cozen O'Connor's Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations practice, discusses the outcome of this case on CNBC.

19 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Recognized as New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

October 05, 2016

The 2016 New York Metro edition of Super Lawyers Magazine, published by Thomson Reuters, has named 21 Cozen O’Connor attorneys to its list of Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.

Manhattan Prosecutors Go After Builders on Construction-Site Safety

August 26, 2016

Bruce Maffeo, a member of Cozen O'Connor's Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations practice, discusses recent litigation again Harco in the Wall Street Journal.

Sixty-Two Cozen O’Connor Lawyers Named to the Best Lawyers in America

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.

21 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Recognized as New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

October 05, 2015

The 2015 New York Metro edition of Super Lawyers Magazine, published by Thomson Reuters, has named 21 Cozen O’Connor attorneys to its list of Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.

Fifty-Two Cozen O’Connor Lawyers Named to the Best Lawyers in America

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.

J. Bruce Maffeo Discusses Former Eastern District Prosecutor in Capital New York

February 05, 2015

In an article titled “Lawmaker Brings Prosecutorial Perspective to Assembly,” J. Bruce Maffeo, a member of Cozen O’Connor’s Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations Practice Group, discusses former Eastern District prosecutor, now New York State Assemblyman, Todd Kaminsky. “Basically if I had to describe him I'd say brash but honorable,” said J. Bruce Maffeo, a lawyer who represented former hip-hop manager Jimmy (Henchman) Rosemond during a murder-for-hire trial in 2014, when Kaminsky was still a prosecutor, that resulted in a hung jury. Maffeo described Kaminsky as "somewhat informal," a departure from the traditional prosecutor.

16 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Recognized as New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

September 23, 2014

The 2014 New York Metro edition of Super Lawyers Magazine, published by Thomson Reuters, has named 16 Cozen O’Connor attorneys to its list of Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.

46 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers Named to The Best Lawyers in America

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.

J. Bruce Maffeo Quoted in Government Product News

February 27, 2012

J. Bruce Maffeo was quoted in the Government Product News article ''Trial of Former County Commissioner Prompts Corruption Questions'' regarding the criminal trial investigation of former Cuyahoga County, Ohio commissioner Jimmy Dimora.

43 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers Named to The Best Lawyers in America

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.

Harco Verdict Impact on Construction Industry	New York, NY	07/27/2016
New York Law Journal's In-House Counsel CLE Seminar	New York, NY	04/30/2013
Responding to Government Investigations: What to Do When the Government Comes Calling	Philadelphia, PA	04/26/2011

Practice Areas

White Collar Defense & Investigations

Securities Litigation & SEC Enforcement

Litigation

Education

Boston University School of Law, J.D., 1979
Boston University, B.A., 1974

Awards & Honors

2018 Criminal Defense: General Practice Lawyer of the Year in New York City by Best Lawyers in America

Lawyer of the Year Best Lawyers in America 2010-2018

New York Super Lawyers 2009-2018

Bar Admissions

New Hampshire
New York

Court Admissions

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