Author/contributor
Robert W. Ray
Partner
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sterlington PLLC announced today that Robert W. Ray, the former independent counsel who succeeded Kenneth Starr and led high-profile public corruption investigations, including the Monica Lewinsky matter and the FBI files controversy, has joined the firm as a partner. His practice will focus on white-collar criminal defense and internal investigations.
“Robert Ray is one of the most consequential American attorneys of the 21st century, and his arrival is a consequential moment in the continued growth of Sterlington,” said Christopher S. Harrison, founding partner and CEO of Sterlington. “At this moment of change in the Department of Justice, corporations and executives facing criminal enforcement issues can have no better ally than Robert Ray. He brings unparalleled insight into the workings of the DOJ at a time when it is more critical than ever.”
Ray’s six years of service as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, followed by his role as Deputy Independent Counsel investigating former Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy, have established him as a respected authority in legal and prosecutorial matters. While head of the Office of the Independent Counsel, Ray issued the final report on the Whitewater controversy and reached a resolution under which President Bill Clinton avoided criminal prosecution after leaving the White House. His extensive experience as a federal prosecutor has enabled him to build strong connections with key figures in the incoming Department of Justice and the broader political landscape, including Pam Bondi, who has been nominated for attorney general in the new administration, and Todd Blanche, who has been selected as deputy attorney general.
In private practice, Ray has represented companies, boards, and executives in crisis situations at the intersection of business and criminal law enforcement. His engagements often involve internal investigations and proactive interaction with prosecutors across the country on high-stakes criminal and civil enforcement matters. Previously, Ray was a partner at Holland & Knight and Zeichner Ellman & Krause.
“Business as usual is changing in both the business and enforcement of law,” said Ray. “This is the right time for my move to Sterlington, which is offering a new law firm model and attracting top talent with it. And this is the right platform from which to advise clients on criminal enforcement issues under a new and different administration.”
Ray joins a string of high-profile lateral partners who have joined Sterlington in the second half of 2024. They include Jonathan Sherman, a decorated litigator who spent much of his career at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP; Courtney Rockett, another longtime Boies Schiller litigator; and Paul Jebely, the top private aviation attorney to ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
Ray received his J.D., cum laude, from the Washington & Lee University School of Law and an A.B., magna cum laude, from Princeton University.
