Charles A. Stillman

Charles A. Stillman has almost 60 years of experience as a litigator focusing on white-collar criminal defense and other regulatory and enforcement matters, as well as complex civil trial and arbitration work.

Charlie has developed a diverse litigation practice, including:

• Trial appearances in numerous federal and state courts
• Representations of individuals and entities in investigations conducted by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, as well as several other districts and DOJ Antitrust Bureaus in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere across the nation
• Advocacy before the SEC, NASD, NYSE, and other securities regulators
• Appellate and other post-judgment representations
• Conducting investigations and acting as court-appointed special master
• Service as a mediator or arbitrator of complicated civil disputes

After beginning his career as a law clerk to the Honorable Irving R. Kaufman (in both the Southern District of New York and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals), Charlie joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District in 1962. During his tenure, under U.S. Attorney Robert Morgenthau, he conducted numerous trials, including major tax and securities fraud prosecutions, and argued many cases before the Second Circuit.

Charlie has handled an impressive number of high-profile and high-stakes litigations. His clients have included leading political figures, former cabinet officials, and prominent members of the bench. He also has represented Fortune 500 corporations and other major international business entities, the CEOs and senior officers of those companies, and the controlling stockholders of privately held conglomerates.

Judicial Clerkships

Hon. Irving R. Kaufman, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

Professional Activities

American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow

International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Fellow

Federal Bar Council

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

New York Council of Defense Lawyers

American Bar Association

New York City Bar Association

New York State Bar Association

New York County Lawyers' Association

Lawyers Division of the Anti-Defamation League

Recognition & Accomplishments

Chambers USA, "Senior Statesman," litigation: white collar crime and government investigations (New York), 2015-2019

The Best Lawyers in America, criminal defense: white collar, 1983-2021

The Best Lawyers in New York

Named to Super Lawyers, 2006-2016

Named in Who's Who Legal, Investigations and Business Crime Defence, 2011-2016

Recipient, Police Athletic League's Robert M. Morgenthau Award, 2003

Recipient, The Office of the Appellate Defender's Milton S. Gould Award for Outstanding Advocacy, 1999

Recipient, Brandeis University's Louis Dembitz Brandeis Medal for Distinguished Legal Service, 1997

Recipient, The Anti-Defamation League's Human Relations Award, 1993

Publications

"Can Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Avoid the Death Penalty?" MSNBC, April 7, 2015

"Top Lawyer Explains Robert Durst's Legal Woes in Plain English," MSNBC, March 17, 2015

Co-author, "Raising the Stakes," Business Crimes Bulletin, March 2015

Co-author, "High-Speed Trader Indicted for ‘Spoofing’," Ballard Spahr alert, October 3, 2014

Co-author, "50 Years Practicing Criminal Law: A Look Back," Prosecution Notes, a publication from The Center on the Administration of Criminal Law at New York University School of Law, October 20, 2011

Speaking Engagements

Charlie frequently contributes his time to continuing legal education panels and other professional training activities, and he has taught trial skills curricula to students at Fordham, Emory, and Harvard Law Schools.

Board Memberships

New York City School Construction Authority, Trustee

New York University School of Law (L.L.B. 1962)
Member, Law Review

New York University (B.A. 1958)

New York

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit