Bob Cleary is Of Counsel in the firm’s Litigation department and is a member of its White Collar Defense and Investigations practice. Prior to private practice, Bob had a lengthy and distinguished career as a federal prosecutor, including service as the U.S. Attorney both in the District of New Jersey and the Southern District of Illinois. Bob concentrates his practice on white collar criminal defense, SEC and related enforcement matters, securities litigation, complex civil litigation, tax controversies, and internal investigations. He has extensive experience in international criminal matters, including money laundering investigations and foreign extradition proceedings.

Bob has over 30 years of courtroom experience as a trial lawyer and appellate advocate and has also been retained in numerous high-profile corporate criminal matters. He has repeatedly been recognized in various publications as a leading practitioner, including The Legal 500 United States, in which clients describe him as “cool, calm and collected” and a “master strategist.”  The American College of Trial Lawyers recognized his trial expertise by inducting him as a Fellow in 2014.

Prior to joining Patterson Belknap, Bob served in various senior management positions of a major international law firm, including as Co-Chair of the firm’s global Litigation Department and as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

In his capacity as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey and the Southern District of Illinois, Bob was the chief federal law enforcement officer in those districts, responsible for all federal prosecutions and lawsuits filed against the federal government. Prior to his appointment as U.S. Attorney, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, ultimately becoming the Chief of the Major Crimes Unit. During his tenure as First Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of New Jersey, he was appointed the lead prosecutor in the Unabomber case, United States v. Theodore J. Kaczynski. Mr. Cleary began his prosecutorial career as a trial attorney for the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

The White House and the Department of Justice have consulted with Bob on homeland security and USA Patriot Act Issues on numerous occasions since he left government service.

Representative Experience

• Served as lead trial counsel in what is believed to be the longest criminal antitrust trial in New York State history, representing the alleged architect of the charged antitrust and fraud scheme. After an almost year-long trial, complete vindication for the client was achieved by securing acquittals and dismissals on 36 of 37 felony charges, and in getting the lone count of conviction dismissed post trial.
• Served as lead counsel in the multi-billion dollar Petrobras matter in Brazil, one of the two largest corruption investigations in the world
• Served as lead defense in the 1MDB international money laundering investigation
• Served as lead counsel in a sweeping, multi-year federal criminal investigation into a multi-billion dollar investment portfolio for a leading global financial institution
• Served as lead counsel in numerous civil lawsuits and government investigations relating to the demise of Lehman Brothers
• Served as lead counsel in numerous criminal investigations relating to allegations of manipulation and collusion in the LIBOR market
• Served as lead counsel in numerous criminal investigations relating to allegations of manipulation and collusion in the foreign exchange and precious metals markets
• Served as lead counsel in an air cargo criminal antitrust investigation and prosecutions
• Served as lead counsel in an auto parts criminal antitrust investigation and prosecutions
• Served as lead counsel in one of the largest Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases ever indicted
• Served as lead counsel in the Tyco criminal investigation and SEC enforcement action
• Served as lead counsel in the New York Attorney General’s criminal and civil investigation of investment bank trading practices
• Served as lead counsel in numerous mutual fund investigations and enforcement actions
• Served as lead counsel in numerous insurance industry investigations and enforcement actions
• Served as lead counsel in numerous stock options backdating investigations and enforcement actions

Bar Admissions

• New York
• New Jersey
• U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit; Second Circuit; Third Circuit
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York; District of New Jersey; Eastern District of Michigan

Education

• Fordham University School of Law (J.D.)
• The College of William and Mary (B.B.A.)

Professional Activities and Experience

HONORS: Recognized by Chambers USA in the area of Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations; Legal 500 in the areas of Dispute Resolution, Corporate Investigations and White Collar Criminal Defense, Litigation: White Collar Criminal Defense, General Commercial Disputes, Litigation: Commercial Litigation, and Litigation: Supreme Court & Appellate; Listed as a "National Litigation Star" and a “Litigation Star” for New York in Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC’s Benchmark: America's Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys; Recognized in Who’s Who Legal for Investigations and Litigation; and Recipient of the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service (1998)

MEMBERSHIPS: Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS: Panelist, "Is crime the solution? Criminal issues as artillery against arbitral awards," IBA's When Arbitration Meets Crime Conference (February 2, 2024)