Legal News

Introducing the Lawyer Behind the Governor: Sheldon Sorosky

By Dan Slater

Wading through a swamp of allegations of lawyer wrongdoing, let’s head over to Chicago, where prosecutors allege a brazen scheme of corruption cultivated by Illinois Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich. During a short federal court bond hearing yesterday, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Patrick Fitzgerald, delivered a two-count criminal complaint against Blago alleging fraud and bribery.

The WSJ editorial board recommends the 76-page FBI affidavit for every high school civics course “as proof of the need for political checks and balances.” We’ll let you decide, Law Blog readers. In the meantime, the NLJ provides us with a look at Blago’s representation.

A high-powered Winston & Strawn defense lawyer, you may surmise? That was the case, earlier this year, when Brad Lerman, a Winston & Strawn attorney, worked for Blago to help him fend off a five-year federal probe. But yesterday Blago showed up in court to face charges in a criminal complaint alongside a little known Chicago criminal defense lawyer from a small firm — Sheldon Sorosky of Kaplan & Sorosky. (Here’s more on Sorosky from Chicago Business.)

Sorosky, the NLJ notes, worked as an assistant attorney in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office from 1967 to 1972 before entering private practice. According to the NYT, Sorosky told reporters that Blago was “very surprised and certainly feels that he did not do anything wrong.”

Sorosky didn’t return the NLJ’s calls seeking comment, but Perkins Coie partner Patrick Collins, a former AUSA who led the prosecution of former Illinois Governor George Ryan, said he had little recollection of dealing with Sorosky during 12 years as a federal prosecutor. Collins told the NLJ it was unlikely Sorosky would continue to represent Blagojevich. “I would find it hard to believe,” Collins said. “I don’t think he does a ton of these cases.”

In 2004, notes the NLJ, Sorosky won a state court acquittal for Deborah Mell, Blago’s sister-in-law, who was arrested that year during a rally for gay marriage rights after she allegedly charged and knocked over a Chicago police officer at the protest.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on December 10, 2008 (boomark / email).