Stephen L. Braga

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stephen L. Braga is an American white collar criminal defense and complex civil litigation attorney; and currently a Partner in the Litigation Department at Ropes & Gray in Washington, D.C.[1] Mr. Braga is best known for his successful pro bono representation of Martin Tankleff and trial defense of former ABC News Anchor Chris Wallace.[2] The United States Lawyer Rankings have named Mr. Braga a Top Ten Criminal Defense Lawyer in the United States for three years in a row beginning in 2006.[3]

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[edit] Legal Career

Mr. Braga began his legal career clerking for one year for The Honorable Thomas A. Flannery of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. He then joined the Washington, D.C. litigation boutique Miller, Cassidy, Larroca & Lewin, where he practiced law until 2001 when Miller Cassidy merged into Baker Botts. Mr. Braga was a partner in the Litigation Department of Baker Botts until 2008 when he moved to Ropes & Gray, where he currently is a partner in their Litigation Department.[4]

Mr. Braga’s practice has focused on white-collar criminal defense and complex civil litigation. In white-collar defense matters, he has represented former White House Chief of Staff Michael Deaver, former Congressman George Hansen, former California Coastal Commissioner Mark Nathanson, and Public Relations Executive Michael Scanlon in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal. In complex civil matters, Mr. Braga is best known for his successful trial defense of ABC News Anchor Chris Wallace in a defamation action arising from an undercover investigation reported by ABC’s Primetime Live news show.[5]

Mr. Braga also teaches law as an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center.[6]

[edit] Martin Tankleff

Mr. Braga provided pro bono representation and served as lead attorney for a team of 12 litigators representing Martin Tankleff in a long-running and notorious New York state murder case profiled by 48 Hours, The New York Times and People magazine. In November 2007, their twelve-year pro bono efforts resulted in securing a reversal of a murder conviction and release of Mr. Tankleff after 17 years of imprisonment.[7] On January 31, 2008, Mr Braga and the team of litigators received the Gideon Champion of Justice Award from the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in recognition of their outstanding pro bono representation.[8]

[edit] Education

Mr. Braga received his B.A., cum laude, from Fairfield University in 1978 and his J.D., magna cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1981, where he was an Editor of the Georgetown Law Journal.[9]

[edit] External Links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ropes & Gray: Stephen L. Braga Bio
  2. ^ BEYOND a REASONABLE DOUBT (The Blog): Stephen L. Braga Bio
  3. ^ United States Lawyer Rankings: The Nation's Top Lawyers - 2008 Edition: Criminal Defense Lawyers
  4. ^ BEYOND a REASONABLE DOUBT (The Blog): Stephen L. Braga Bio
  5. ^ BEYOND a REASONABLE DOUBT (The Blog): Stephen L. Braga Bio
  6. ^ Georgetown Law: Stephen L. Braga
  7. ^ Free in Parents’ Murders, and Weighing Future in Law
  8. ^ Baker Botts Pro Bono Recognition: Gideon Champion of Justice Award (2008)
  9. ^ Georgetown Law: Stephen L. Braga