Biography

John Richilano has been a trial lawyer for nearly 50 years.  After starting as a  state and federal public defender, he has built his substantial criminal trial experience until it matured into one of the most sophisticated white collar criminal practices in the Rocky Mountain Region. He has also emphasizes complex commercial litigation and attorney discipline defense.

John is a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers.  He carries a Band 1 ranking with Chambers and Partners USA in White Collar Criminal Defense.  He is a three-time recipient of Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year in White Collar Criminal Defense, and is listed in Best Lawyers in America for white collar and commercial litigation.  He has had an “av” Martindale-Hubbell rating and is perennially listed in Colorado SuperLawyers, including top 50 vote getter for the entire state for several years.

John was lead local counsel for the defense in United States v. Joseph P. Nacchio, an insider trading case against the former CEO and co-chairman of Qwest Communications International, Inc.  He has defended a host of white collar investigations and indictments, including environmental crimes, bank fraud, securities fraud, and wire fraud relating to the energy markets.  He has tried some 75 court and jury trials in state and federal court.

John’s most recent courtroom victory was in federal court on behalf of a pain management doctor indicted for violation of the Controlled Substances Act. In a trial that was originally scheduled for three weeks but took three days, the District of Colorado jury took just two hours to acquit John’s client of all 24 counts against him.

John has also successfully defended

• Trump attorney Jenna Ellis from disbarment;
• Several health care professionals in a variety of criminal investigations and prosecutions, both state and federal, alleging violations of the Controlled Substances Act and federal health care program rules;
• a transactions lawyer whose client file was subpoenaed by a state grand jury, obtaining a published opinion by the Colorado Supreme Court establishing a higher standard of proof for the crime/fraud exception to the attorney-client privilege;
• an insider trading target in an SEC investigation, resulting in no criminal charges or civil enforcement action being brought; and
• has represented investors, innovators, and advisors in the burgeoning crypto currency space, defending SEC and grand jury subpoenas