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Ronald Rauchberg; Partner; Proskauer Rose, LLP [by Regan Morris] Litigator Ronald Rauchberg has represented some of the biggest companies in the world, with highprofile clients in publishing, sports, business, and banking. LawCrossing speaks with Mr. Rauchberg about his distinguished career with Proskauer and Rose.
As a young man, Rauchberg didn’t know what
The law was named for a serial killer known
Rauchberg said the long hours and heavy
he wanted to do with his life, and law school
as the Son of Sam who terrorized New York
workload in litigation are parts of the
seemed like an interesting and smart pursuit
in the summer of 1977. The state enacted
process; and if new attorneys dislike it now,
while he figured it out. It was.
the law so the killer could not profit from
they probably won’t learn to love litigation.
selling the rights to his sensational story. Rauchberg, now a senior partner with
Rauchberg handled the favorable challenge
“I joke with younger lawyers sometimes
Proskauer Rose, LLP, said even during law
to the law on First Amendment grounds in
and say, ‘If you really kill yourself and give
school at Fordham, he wasn’t sure which
Simon & Schuster, Inc. v. New York Crime Victims Board (1991).
all your intelligence and energy to bear
area of law he would specialize in, but knew
and succeed, the reward is you get to do it again,’” he said. “And I believe that. I think to
as soon as he started trying cases that he “It was my first and only Supreme Court
get interesting cases—and at this stage in my
case,” he said. “It was great having a feeling
career, to get to be running the interesting
“Law school wasn’t so much of a
that I was a part of our First Amendment
cases is a wonderful way to spend the day.”
commitment as it was something to do while
jurisdiction. I would love to do it again if I
figuring out what I wanted to do. I didn’t know
could find the opportunity. But I’m in private
Rauchberg, who grew up in the Bronx
I would like it as much as I did,” he said.
practice, and the clients come first. I’m not
and is a proud product of the New York
“When I went to work and started working
searching for Supreme Court opportunities.”
public school system, said one of the great
had chosen the right direction.
challenges of complex commercial litigation
on litigation, I knew through pure dumb luck Rauchberg told clients that the best advice
is to make cases interesting for juries.
he gives to new attorneys is to always
He said he studies people in courtrooms
Rauchberg went to work for Proskauer after
remember the client comes first. That
to gauge their reactions and that the role
his second year of law school and has stuck
philosophy has helped Rauchberg attract
of any good trial lawyer is to be a good
with the firm since, handling a dizzying
and maintain some big clients, including
storyteller, to tell the facts in a compelling
array of complex commercial litigation. In
Alcatel U.S.A., the Association of American
and straightforward way.
his sleek, bright office high above Times
Publishers, Autodesk, Biovail, Citibank,
Square in New York, Rauchberg talked about
Ernst & Young, MBIA, MetLife, the National
“There aren’t a lot of antics in the kinds of
some of his more famous cases, including
Basketball Association, The Rockefeller
commercial cases I handle. It is important to
the First Amendment Son of Sam law case
Group, Sony Pictures, Viacom, and Wells
make presentations that are interesting,” he
he successfully argued before the Supreme
Fargo.
said. “A lot of the stuff that the people who
that I was doing what was right for me.”
are litigating the case think is so interesting
Court. “Always be faithful to the principle that this is
and crucial—other people think [it] is
New York’s Son of Sam law was intended
about the clients and keep the clients at the
boring.”
to prevent criminals from profiting from
forefront of your consciousness and do what
their crimes by selling their stories. The
they require and remember they deserve
Rauchberg often represents film and studio
law required that an accused or convicted
everything you’re able to do for them within
clients in Hollywood and says the work
criminal’s income from works describing his
the limits of ethics and law, of course,” he
has an additional bonus of allowing him to
crime be deposited in an escrow account.
said. “And if you do that, then the personally
spend time in Los Angeles, where his son
The money would then be given to the victims
satisfying parts will follow. It’s personally
and grandchild live. He also represented
of the crime or the criminal’s creditors.
satisfying to serve your clients.”
Bob Woodward and Simon & Schuster in the successful defense of libel litigation growing
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LAWCROSSING
THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF LEGAL JOBS ON EARTH
LAW STAR
www.lawcrossing.com
1. 800.973.1177
out of Wired, Woodward’s biography of John
was not a passive student and was Editor-
an environment that doesn’t get in the way.
Belushi.
in-Chief of the Fordham Law Review before
There are places, I suppose, where politics
graduating in 1967.
and internal discord among the partners or
Rauchberg, a Fellow of the American College
whatever can be distracting. But there are
of Trial Lawyers, spent four years as chair
He said he never really considered leaving
no problems of that kind in here, and you can
of Proskauer’s 200-lawyer Litigation and
Proskauer Rose for other opportunities. If
just have a good time, represent your clients,
Dispute Resolution Department and has
you find a place that makes you happy, he
and do what litigators like to do.”
served as a member of the firm’s Executive
said, don’t leave.
Committee. “This is wonderful place to practice law,” he While Rauchberg may not have known where
said. “Litigating is very satisfying, and what
his career would go during law school, he
a person interested in litigating needs is
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