Education

Law School/Year: Stanford University, 1990

College/Year: Princeton University, 1987

Bar Admissions

California; various district courts; D.C., 5th, 6th and 9th Circuits

Practice Areas

Business Litigation, Criminal Law

Major Cases

Michael Attanasio is a leading white-collar defense lawyer who has successfully defended clients in sensitive law enforcement investigations and jury trials. Attanasio currently represents a senior executive of a Taiwanese manufacturing company indicted for price fixing violations by a grand jury in the Northern District of California. Attanasio represents several other clients in ongoing criminal investigations in districts around the country. Attanasio was recently named one of the Top 100 lawyers in California by the Daily Journal.   

Professional Background

After graduating from law school, Attanasio was a law clerk to the Hon. Rudi M. Brewster from 1990-‘91. He then joined the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., after being hired though the Attorney General’s Honors Program. Attanasio was assigned to the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, a special unit that prosecutes sensitive white collar and corruption cases. During his tenure with the Justice Department, Attanasio tried cases in judicial districts around the country and received many department honors, including the John Marshall Award for Outstanding Legal Achievement (Trial) for his successful corruption and RICO prosecution of a former U.S. congressman.

In 2004 Attanasio joined Cooley LLP, where he practices white-collar criminal defense and complex business litigation. He speaks and publishes frequently about trial practice and white-collar criminal issues.

Professional Affiliations

Adjunct professor, University of San Diego Law School, White Collar and Corporate Crime; co-chair, Criminal Litigation Subcommittee of the Securities Litigation Committee of the ABA Section of Litigation; master, Welsh Inn of Court; board member, San Diego Volunteer Lawyers Program; lawyers representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference (2004-‘06)

Personal Background

Husband of Susan Lennon and proud father of boys Nick, 8, and Max, 6.