Norton Rose Fulbright secures dismissal for NJ senator in high-profile corruption case

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright recently secured a major win in New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez’s alleged corruption case. On Wednesday, January 31, 2018, the Department of Justice (DOJ) abandoned and moved to dismiss the corruption case it pursued against the firm’s client, Senator Menendez, marking a complete reversal, on its part, of its prior decision to pursue a retrial in the case. A three-month trial in the fall of 2017 ended with a hung jury where news reports stated that the votes for acquittal were 10 to 2.

This decision by the DOJ followed a decision by US District Judge for the District of New Jersey William Walls acquitting Senator Menendez and his co-defendant Dr. Salomon Melgen of seven of the 18 charges of which they were being prosecuted. Judge Walls had made this judgement based on the evidence presented at the earlier trial in which the government failed to convict Menendez of any wrongdoing. Senator Menendez was being accused of providing political favors in a transactional manner with his long-time friend Dr. Melgen.

The Norton Rose Fulbright team was led by US Co-head of Regulations, Investigations, Securities and Compliance Abbe Lowell and included partners Jenny Kramer and Chris Man and associates Victoria Corder and Daniel Kacinski as well as legal assistants Kelly Charles and Kenwyn Williams.  

Lowell, who was named The American Lawyer’s Litigator of the Week following this success, stated:

“In light of the results of a three-month trial, all the jury said and the granting of our motion for acquittal on significant counts, we are pleased and grateful that the Justice Department made the right decision to end this case. Despite the five years of this ordeal, Senator Menendez never wavered in his innocence and his commitment to the people of New Jersey. We were fortunate to be able to assist this honorable man.”