Robert J. Aiello | Experienced New York Attorney

Robert J. Aiello is a principal and founding member of the law firm and a trial attorney.  His practice is devoted primarily to criminal defense in State and Federal Courts as well as real estate matters. Mr. Aiello has been involved in many high-profile cases throughout his career.  Some of his clients have included Peter Guagenti, the driver in the Amy Fisher case in Nassau County, Patrick Bannon who shot and killed three people including an off-duty police officer outside a nightclub on Bell Boulevard in Bayside and Vincent DiFrancisco who was one of the persons charged in the assault of Shane Daniels outside Club Marakash in Westhampton Beach in 1996.

In 2003, he represented Dennis Salvador Alvarez Hernandez who was charged with First Degree Capital Murder in Westchester County.  It was the first case in Westchester County where at the time, the then District Attorney Jeanine Pirro, sought the death penalty.  After a nine month trial the jury spared Mr. Alvarez’s life.  The verdict was hailed as a major victory for the defense as reported at the time in the New York Times, USA Today and the Journal News.  The trial received extensive pretrial and trial publicity on Channels 2, 4, 5, 7, 9 and 11 and Westchester 12 as well as daily newspaper coverage in the Journal News.

Mr. Aiello was formerly with the Office of the District Attorney, Queens County where, for several years, he managed a full range of criminal matters from misdemeanor to major felonies.  Mr. Aiello supervised a group of Supreme Court trial attorneys and at 29 years old became one of the youngest trial Assistants in the Homicide Trial Bureau where he served for over two years.

While in private practice, Mr. Aiello also served as Counsel to New York State Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol, Chairman of the Codes Committee, where he was responsible for research, analysis, preparation and drafting of legislative bills for the New York State Assembly.

Mr. Aiello recently was involved representing one of the defendants charged in one of the largest commodities fraud cases brought in the Southern District of New York and also represented the former president of the Production Workers Union Local 148 who was charged with embezzlement and receiving kickbacks in a major union corruption case in Newark, New Jersey.

Mr. Aiello regularly attends seminars to keep abreast of the latest developments in State and Federal criminal defense and has been invited to speak at some of these seminars.  He has been qualified as an expert criminal attorney and one of only a handful selected to represent criminal defendants in capital murder cases.  He appears regularly as a guest commentator on Court TV.

SEVERAL RECENT NEWSWORTHY CASES

• Federal Criminal Defense Case Results
• State Criminal Defense Case Results

Current Employment Position(s):

• Partner, Aiello & Cannick and Trial Attorney.

Areas of Practice:

• Federal and State Criminal Defense
• Real Estate

Bar Admissions:

• New York State (1985)
• United States Supreme Court (1993)
• District of Columbia (1987)
• United States District Court, Southern District of New York (1986)
• United States District Court, Eastern District of New York (1986)
• United States District Court, Northern District of New York (1994)

Education:

• Fordham University School of Law, New York, NY J.D. (1984)
• Highlights:  Moot Court Board, Trial Advocacy Program
• Trinity College, Hartford, CT, B.A.  (1981)
• Highlights:  Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Gamma Mu,
• George Keith Funston Economics Award
• London School of Economics & Political Science, London, England (1980)
• St. Paul’s School, Garden City, NY (1974-1977)
• Highlights:  Editor, School Newspaper, Class President, Alumni Cup for Outstanding Graduate, Listed Who’s Who Among American High School Students

Professional Associations and Memberships:

• Voted Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys in New York State by the National Trial Lawyers 2020
• Recognized for Excellence in Criminal Defense by Lawyers of Distinction 2020
• Voted Lawyer of the Year for Criminal Law by the American Institute of Legal Professionals 2020
• Voted Top 100 Power Lawyers in Criminal Defense by Lawyers of Distinction 2020 as published in the New York Times on September 6th 2020
• Voted One of the Best Criminal Defense Attorneys on Long Island by Long Island Pulse Magazine Fall 2009 Issue
• Listed Who’s Who Among American Lawyers
• Member, National College for DUI Defense
• Member, New York County Bar Association
• Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys
• Member, Judicial Screening Committee, Nassau County Democratic Party
• Member, Queens County Bar Association
• Vice Chairman, Speaker’s Bureau, Queens County Bar Association
• Member, Columbian Lawyers’ Association
• Member, Catholic Lawyers’ Association
• Member, Queens County Assistant District Attorney Association
• Guest Lecturer for Columbian Lawyers Association (First Dept.)
• Certified by New York State to handle Death Penalty Cases
• Guest Commentator on Court TV, CNN and Channel 5
• Live Appearances on Channels 2, 4, 7, 9, 11 and CNN

Past Employment Positions:

• Counsel – Codes Committee, NYS Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol, (1993 – 1995)
• Queens County District Attorney’s Office (1984 – 1992)
• Trial Assistant, Homicide Trial Division (1990 – 1992)
• Trial Assistant, Major Offense Prosecution Bureau (1989 – 1990)
• Trial Assistant, Supreme Court Trial Division (1986 – 1989)
• Trial Assistant, Grand Jury Investigations (1985 – 1986)
• Trial Assistant, Criminal Court Bureau (1984 – 1985)
• Associate, Reid & Priest, New York, New York (1983)
• Law Intern, U. S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District (1982)
• Campaign Aide, Mario Cuomo for Governor (1982)
• New York State Department of Labor (1979 – 1980)

Outside Interests:

• Board of Governors, Columbus Citizens Foundation (1996 – 1999)
• Chairman, High School Scholarship Committee, Columbus Foundation (1995 – 2000)
• Board of Directors, Don Monti Foundation at North Shore Hospital (1992 – Present)
• Board of Directors, Maspeth Town Hall (2004 – Present)
• President, Maspeth Town Hall (2018 – Present)
• Board of Directors, Coalition Against Substance Abuse (2013 – 2017)
• Founder & Chairman, Patchogue Shores Beach Beautification Committee (2005-Present)
• Founder & President, Point Pirouette Homeowners Foundation (2015 – Present)
• Member, Maspeth Chamber of Commerce (1992 – Present)
• Coach, Manhasset Soccer Club (2004 – 2010)
• Coach, St. Mary’s CYO Basketball (2008 – 2018)
• Trinity College Alumni Association (1981 – Present)
• Fordham Law School Alumni Association (1984 – Present)
• London School of Economics Alumni Association (1981 – Present)

Hobbies/Interests:

• Tennis, Jogging, Snow Skiing, Sailing, Boating and Travel
• Member, North Hills Country Club, Manhasset, New York (1975 – Present)
• Member, New York Athletic Club, New York, New York (1982 – Present)
• Member, Columbus Citizen Foundation Club, New York, New York (1991 – Present)

Personal Information:

• Born 1959 in Brooklyn.  Married with two children.  Resides in Manhasset, New York

References:

• Furnished upon request