Michael Schachter

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT MICHAEL SCHACHTER

I am a partner in the Litigation Department and Co-Chair of the Firm\'s White-Collar Defense Practice Group. My practice focuses on the representation of financial institutions, investment advisers, public companies and their executives in white collar criminal defense and securities enforcement matters, internal investigations, and complex commercial litigation. I am ranked among the leaders in White Collar & Government Investigations, Chambers USA (2022), which stated,\"The things he can do in a courtroom are magical.\" Chambers previously cited my \"exceptional judgment, great client skills and amazing credibility with government lawyers,\" and highlighted that he is \"a tremendously talented trial lawyer with a great sense of the arguments that will appeal to a jury.\" Chambers USA (2022) has also ranked Mr. Schachter in its Nationwide Litigation: Trial Lawyers category, which recognizes the top trial lawyers in the country. I have an established record of success over the Justice Department in high-profile cases. In 2022, I secured an acquittal on all counts for Tom Barrack, founder of Colony Capital, in a highly publicized trial alleging illegal foreign lobbying, obstruction of justice and other charges. I also won a major victory in 2019, obtaining an acquittal on all counts for shipbuilding executive Jean Boustani over an alleged $2 billion securities fraud and kickback scheme involving Mozambique state-backed loans. In 2018, I received the Chambers White Collar Crime & Government Investigations Award, its top honor nationwide. In 2017, I was named \"Litigator of the Week\" by The American Lawyer for winning a landmark victory dismissing all charges in the first U.S. LIBOR manipulation case before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to joining Willkie, I served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where I was a member of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. During my tenure as a prosecutor, I was responsible for some of the nation’s highest profile white collar prosecutions. Among my prominent trial victories was the conviction of Martha Stewart and her broker, Peter Bacanovic. I was also responsible for the insider trading prosecution of Samuel Waksal, the former chief executive officer of ImClone Systems.(This profile may constitute attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.)