Robert P. Trout
Robert P. Trout
Of Counsel
- Education:
- University of Virginia School of Law
- Washington & Lee University
- Bar Admissions:
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- Virginia
- Practice Focus:
OVERVIEW
Robert P. Trout has over 40 years' experience in civil and criminal litigation. His practice has concentrated primarily on complex commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense, as well as the defense of administrative agency enforcement actions. He began his legal career at the Department of Justice, where he served for two years in the Criminal Division, followed by four years as an Assistant United States Attorney in Baltimore, Maryland. Mr. Trout served as Associate Deputy Independent Counsel in 1995-96. In 1996, he founded Trout & Richards, which became Trout Cacheris & Solomon before the firm closed in 2021, when he joined Schertler Onorato Mead & Sears.
EXPERIENCE
Representative matters:
Representation of individuals in investigations by Special Counsel Mueller and by Senate and House Intelligence Committees.
Representation of a Member of Congress in Constitutional challenge to the first ever FBI search of a Congressional office.
Defense of former Congressman, in eight-week jury trial, in major public corruption case involving allegations of bribery, honest services fraud and FCPA violations. After the Supreme Court decision in United States v. McDonnell, we brought a Section 2255 motion that resulted in the vacation of most counts of conviction and a substantial reduction in sentence.
Successful defense, in a two-week jury trial, of the CEO of a government contracting firm against charges of bribery of a public official and honest services wire fraud.
Representation of Special Committee of the Board of Directors regarding Department of Justice investigation of a company’s alleged distribution of adulterated food products.
Representation of former CIA agent in criminal prosecution for leaking classified information.
Representation of BP employee in criminal investigation stemming from Deepwater Horizon explosion.
Defense of Merrill Lynch investment banker in Congressional investigation, criminal investigation, SEC suit, NYSE investigation, and civil suits arising from collapse of Enron.
Representation of major law firm in defense of legal malpractice suits.
Served as Special Counsel to the Council of the District of Columbia investigating allegations of cronyism and irregularities in the contracting practices of the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation.
Defense of a former Fannie Mae employee in a DOJ civil False Claims Act investigation into transactions involving multi-million dollar apartment complexes.
Defense of large construction company and its principal in civil and criminal false claims investigations.
Defense of mortgage broker in criminal fraud prosecution.
Defense of individuals in criminal pharmaceutical case involving misbranded drugs.
Representation of individuals in major antitrust investigations, including those alleged to be involved in international price-fixing cartels.
Defense of a commercial landlord in civil false claims litigation brought by the District of Columbia.
Representation of a major manufacturer in antitrust civil suits concerning alleged price-fixing in urethanes chemicals and in the foam industry.
Representation of companies and individuals in suits alleging that departing employees misappropriated trade secrets and proprietary information and tortiously interfered with contracts.
BACKGROUND
One of the original members of the Steering Committee of the Litigation Section of the District of Columbia Bar, Mr. Trout served as Chair of the Litigation Section in 1984-85. He previously served for six years, including one year as Chair, on the Attorney Grievance Committee of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. He recently served as a member of the American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, which conducts evaluations of the professional qualifications of nominees to the federal bench. He has been active in the DC Bar's efforts to promote alternative dispute resolution ("ADR") and he has served as a volunteer mediator for both the United States District Court and the District of Columbia Superior Court. Mr. Trout is a member of the bars of the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland, and he is admitted to practice before a number of federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the Fourth Circuit, the Third Circuit, the Seventh Circuit, the Ninth Circuit, the Tenth Circuit, and the Federal Circuit, as well as the U.S. Tax Court.
recognition
Mr. Trout is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and he has served as Chair of the College's State Committee for the District of Columbia. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in four categories (White Collar Criminal Defense, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Securities Litigation), and he is also listed in Super Lawyers, Chambers USA Guide America's Leading Lawyers for Business, and Washingtonian Magazine’s Top Lawyers.
ATTORNEYS
The attorneys of Schertler Onorato Mead & Sears bring deep experience, practical judgment, and vigorous advocacy to the matters we handle. Our lawyers include former federal prosecutors, former members of the Antitrust and Tax Divisions of the Department of Justice, and a former Assistant to the Solicitor General. We have tried cases large and small, have briefed and argued numerous appeals, and also have the skill and acumen to negotiate resolutions of matters when it is in the best interests of our clients. More detailed biographies of our attorneys are accessible below.