Robert J. Spagnoletti is a partner at the law firm of Schertler & Onorato, L.L.P. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Spagnoletti served as the first Attorney General for the District of Columbia. As Attorney General, Mr. Spagnoletti represented the District of Columbia in all of its diverse legal matters, including: tort, contract, civil rights, and class action cases; employment discrimination claims; antifraud, antitrust, and consumer protection matters; real estate transactions; government contracts; regulatory enforcement; personnel and administrative proceedings; child abuse and neglect cases; domestic violence and mental health matters; adult criminal misdemeanor, traffic, and juvenile delinquency prosecutions; appeals of civil, criminal, and administrative judgments in local and federal courts of appeals; and operation of the District’s child support system. Mr. Spagnoletti settled numerous high-profile cases and authored several opinions on unsettled areas of the law.
As Attorney General, Mr. Spagnoletti was a member of the National Association of Attorneys General where he served on the Executive Committee, working with the state Attorneys General on numerous matters including criminal investigations, consumer protection cases, issues affecting public safety, and multistate litigation including the tobacco settlement. He maintains his relationships with the Attorneys General by serving as a member of SAGE, the Society of Attorneys General Emeritus.
Before his appointment as Attorney General, Mr. Spagnoletti served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1990 to 2003 where he was chief of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section, prosecuting adult criminal cases involving sexual abuse of adults and children, intrafamily offenses, and child maltreatment. Mr. Spagnoletti investigated and prosecuted a wide variety of criminal cases and was lead counsel on more than 100 jury trials. Mr. Spagnoletti has also handled an array of civil and commercial cases, including civil RICO claims and white-collar criminal cases.
Mr. Spagnoletti lectures extensively at academic, social, and professional institutions on topics such as government operations, sexual abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, family law, evidence, criminal law, and child advocacy.
Mr. Spagnoletti has received numerous awards, including the Sullivan Award presented by the Assistant United States Attorney Association, the District of Columbia Bar Association Young Lawyer of the Year Award, the United States Attorney Special Achievement Award, and the Distinguished Service Award from GAYLAW.
Mr. Spagnoletti’s accomplishments as Attorney General for the District of Columbia have been highlighted numerous times in local and national media, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA TODAY, NBC, MSNBC, the Legal Times, the Washington Lawyer, and the local network affiliates of NBC, CBS, and ABC.
Currently, Mr. Spagnoletti has been nominated as a candidate for
President of the District of Columbia Bar.
Mr. Spagnoletti graduated from Lafayette College, summa cum laude,
and Georgetown University Law Center, magna cum laude. He is a member of the bars of the District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.
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