Juan P. Morillo is a partner based in the Washington, D.C. office.
Mr. Morillo’s practice focuses on criminal defense and civil litigation for major financial institutions, Fortune 500 companies, large international companies, professional services firms and senior executives.
In the criminal context, Mr. Morillo represents clients in federal, state and congressional investigations involving accounting, financial, securities and tax fraud; bribery; antitrust, environmental, immigration, OFAC and FCA violations; and health care fraud and abuse. He frequently advises clients in connection with extradition matters. In addition, he advises clients in internal investigations and audits involving alleged bribery, fraud and other corporate misconduct; and he advises some of the largest public companies and financial services firms on the development, implementation and testing of their FCPA compliance programs. In the civil context, Mr. Morillo represents clients in class actions and other civil litigation involving RICO, the FCPA, the FCA, fraud, tort, breach of contract and other civil claims.
Mr. Morillo has substantial experience in cross-border criminal investigations and civil disputes. His representation of Brazil in a corruption matter involving former senior government officials and multiple jurisdictions was recognized by the Financial Times in its "Innovative Lawyers 2009" awards as being a "landmark" multi-jurisdictional representation.
The Legal 500 also highlighted this matter.
Mr. Morillo assists clients in developing and implementing crisis management and public relations strategies. He has served as the spokesperson for clients in high profile matters and has appeared on CNN, Fox, CNBC, Univision, and NPR and been quoted in
Forbes,
Business Week,
The Wall Street Journal,
The Washington Post and
USA Today, among other publications.
At age 37, Mr. Morillo was recognized by
The American Lawyer as one of the nation's top 50 litigators under the age of 45, and his white-collar criminal defense practice is recognized by
The Legal 500 U.S. He is a frequent speaker at client and industry conferences, including ABA and U.S. Chamber of Commerce sponsored seminars.
Mr. Morillo has an active pro bono practice, including having advised the Colombian government on matters related to the victims of the violence resulting from the long war involving the government, FARC and paramilitaries. Mr. Morillo is a member of the Board of Directors of Root Capital, a leading non-profit social investment fund that provides affordable financing and education to poor farmers in Latin America, Africa and Asia to reduce poverty, encourage sustainable economic development and conserve natural resources.
Selected criminal experience includes acting as counsel to:
- The Federative Republic of Brazil in precedent-setting criminal trial of Swiss bankers alleged to have laundered tens of millions of dollars from a fraudulent scheme in Brazil involving senior Brazilian government officials. Prevailed at trial.
- One of the world’s four largest accounting firms in a high profile grand jury investigation involving allegations of accounting, securities and tax fraud. Extricated the firm and its employees.
- A company in a high profile environmental matter, including criminal and civil federal, state and local enforcement proceedings, as well as a class action lawsuit and over 1,000 individual private civil lawsuits alleging personal injury and property damage. Resolved criminal investigation without charges and obtained denial of class certification without discovery.
- One of Latin America’s leading businessmen in connection with the expropriation of $2 billion in assets and related criminal proceedings.
Selected civil experience includes acting as counsel to:
- Dubai Islamic Bank, the world’s largest Islamic bank, in MDL proceedings involving claims arising from the September 11 terrorist attacks, including class actions filed against the bank on behalf of victims and the owners and insurers of property destroyed or damaged in the attacks.
- A Fortune 500 company in civil RICO class action brought by employees alleging that the company depressed their wages by employing undocumented workers. The case received widespread national media attention. Persuaded court not to certify a class action and successfully resolved the case.
- A major manufacturer in a RICO lawsuit by a municipality seeking recovery for the cost of providing health care and law enforcement services to undocumented workers allegedly employed by the manufacturer. Obtained dismissal of lawsuit. The dismissal was affirmed on appeal. The appellate argument was featured on C-SPAN's "America and the Courts."
- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce in its successful constitutional challenge of Hazelton, Pennsylvania's immigration law.
Selected trial experience includes acting as counsel to:
- A sitting judge in a case brought by the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) in which the JQC alleged that the judge, a West Point graduate, plagiarized a paper he submitted to the Air War College as part of his duties as an Air Force Reserve officer. Prevailed at trial. This was the first time in dozens of cases since 1987 in which the JQC lost at trial. This trial was given an honorable mention in The American Lawyer’s "2005 Litigation Department of the Year” feature.
- Tyson Foods, Inc. as a member of trial team in U.S. v. Tyson Foods, Inc. in a case involving a 36-count indictment charging the company with conspiracy to violate federal immigration laws. The government sought a fine in excess of $130 million. The Court dismissed several counts and the jury acquitted the company on all remaining counts. The National Law Journal named this result the top defense verdict of 2003.
Mr. Morillo joined the firm as a partner in 2011. Prior to joining Cleary Gottlieb, he was a partner and head of the U.S. litigation and dispute resolution group at Clifford Chance. Mr. Morillo received a J.D. degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and an undergraduate degree in history, philosophy, psychology and French from the University of Miami. He served as law clerk to the Honorable Ricardo M. Urbina of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Mr. Morillo is a member of the Bars in the District of Columbia and Florida. Mr. Morillo is fluent in Spanish.