Robert Y. Altchiler

  • Adjunct Professor

Education

BS, State University of New York at Albany
JD, George Washington University Law School (f/k/a George Washington University National Law Center)

Robert Altchiller is the founder and principal of Altchiler LLC. Robert's practice focuses primarily in the areas of white collar criminal investigations, corporate investigations, litigation, tax and general corporate counseling. Robert has successfully defended individuals and corporations in a wide array of multifaceted investigations in areas such as mortgage fraud, securities fraud, tax fraud, International Traffic In Arms Regulations (ITAR), racketeering, continuing criminal enterprises, and circumvention of trade restrictions, among many, many others. In recent years, Robert's practice has expanded considerably and now encompasses entertainment, intellectual property and media matters.

In 1988, Robert started his legal career as a prosecutor in New York City, where he prosecuted a wide array of cases and headed up a variety of different investigations. In addition to trying several dozen serious cases, ranging from murder to fraud to narcotics violations, he also ran wiretap and grand jury investigations involving money laundering and other financial crimes, as well as a wiretap and investigation concerning a plot to assassinate a prominent NYC judge. In 2010, Altchiler LLC joined a strategic alliance with CMLG, Cornwall Street Chambers' preeminent Media Law Team located in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Through the alliance, Altchiler LLC and CMLG offered clients global representation designed to enhance the protection of clients' rights in the United Kingdom and United States. CMLG were the only barristers outside of London to offer such a unique service to the media and entertainment industry and was recently voted the top media law firm in the UK.

In 2015 Robert affiliated with Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz, one of the oldest and most prestigious law firms in New York, where, as Of Counsel, he directs the White Collar and Government Investigations practice area, while continuing to run Altchiler LLC.

​Robert graduated from the George Washington University Law School (formerly, The National Law Center). Prior to GW, Robert graduated with honors from the Business School at the State University of New York at Albany in 1985. He is also a 1996 graduate of the National Criminal Defense College and a 1997 graduate of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy's Harvard Teacher Training Program.

​In recent years Robert has:

  • Represented an individual accused of misappropriating and disseminating an unreleased Apple operating system. The individual had confessed and reneged on an agreement to cooperate with the federal government. Robert resolved the investigation without any charges against the client and without any cooperation by the client with the government.
  • Represented a business owner under indictment in a multi-million dollar insurance fraud prosecution in which Robert obtained an outright dismissal of the entire indictment on motion of the government as jury selection was about to commence.
  • Represented two securities brokers in connection with a high profile federal and state fraud investigation in which Robert was able to favorably resolve all licensing issues by effectively utilizing administrative cooperation rules and policies.
  • Represented a law firm in connection with multiple state and federal investigations into its involvement in fraudulent mortgages obtained pursuant to a not-for-profit loan program. All investigations were resolved without charges and without any negative licensing implications.
  • Represented a subject building owner and property manager in connection with a joint federal and state arson/homicide investigation. Robert successfully positioned his clients as merely witnesses with no criminal responsibility.
  • Represented a target officer of a company under federal investigation in connection with government contracts and tax fraud for their handling of multi-million dollar U.S. government contracts over the course of several years. The client did not cooperate and was not charged.
  • Represented a contractor who had search warrants executed at his business pursuant to allegations of fraud related to labor union funds. The investigation was resolved without any criminal charges, without cooperation, and without any negative implications on the client's ability to participate in public works projects.

Altchiler LLC conducts corporate investigations when appropriate and, when the client instructs, refers the results to law enforcement for prosecution. In one recent example, a corporate CEO knew assets and materials were being diverted by employees and that the corporation was bleeding money as a result. The CEO needed assistance in ascertaining the identities and extent of involvement of the wrongdoers and the level of theft involved. Robert directed a corporate investigation that revealed the nature of the problem. He then referred the investigation to federal authorities who arrested the wrongdoers and prosecuted them. The wrongdoers were convicted. In addition, the amount of the theft was included in a court ordered restitution judgment and the corporation will be repaid in full.

In another recent example, Robert represented a corporate client that believed one of its vendors was inflating invoices to the company and, consequently, stealing thousands of dollars in unearned billings. Robert conducted an investigation and learned that a number of professional corporations had been victimized by the same vendor. Robert gathered evidence and documents and met with a high ranking federal prosecutor who was thrilled to be presented with what was essentially an open and shut multi-million dollar fraud case. As a result, the government promptly opened an investigation. That investigation is ongoing.

Robert has been an adjunct law professor at Pace University Law School since 1998, where he teaches trial advocacy, a course designed to teach law students how to be trial lawyers. He has also been a featured participant and lecturer at Cardozo Law School's acclaimed Intensive Trial Advocacy Program in New York City, as well as a television legal commentator.  Robert has also  been participating as a lecturer in the Educating Advocates Teaching Trial Advocacy Program (EATS) at Stetson Law School since 2013. At EATS, he teaches trial advocacy professors from law schools across the country how to better and more creatively teach their law students.