Ronald Rauchberg, now a senior partner with Proskauer Rose, LLP, said even during law school at Fordham, he was not sure which area of law he would specialize in.

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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 high-
profile 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 all your intelligence and energy to bear
area of law he would specialize in, but knew Victims Board (1991). and succeed, the reward is you get to do it
as soon as he started trying cases that he again,’” he said. “And I believe that. I think to
had chosen the right direction. “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
on litigation, I knew through pure dumb luck challenges of complex commercial litigation
that I was doing what was right for me.” 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
Court. are litigating the case think is so interesting
“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
PAGE continued on back

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THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF LEGAL JOBS ON EARTH
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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
PAGE