My Lawyer Said It Was OK: 'Scully' and Defending Based on Reliance on Counsel

April 3, 2018  |  New York Law Journal

Good faith reliance on counsel can be a critical line of defense in white-collar prosecutions, but defendants seeking to assert it often face skepticism and procedural hurdles borne of an unduly narrow view of the doctrine. One example is the district court’s ruling in United States v. Scully, and the Second Circuit’s recent opinion reversing that ruling offers useful guidance. In this article, we discuss Scully and other relevant decisions, including case law supporting the so-called “involvement of counsel” defense.

My Lawyer Said It Was OK: ‘Scully’ and Defending Based on Reliance on Counsel (pdf | 417.83 KB)