Lawrence Barcella '67

Partner, Katten, Muchin, Zavis & Dombroff

Barcella recently served as chief counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives October Surprise Task Force, investigating the Reagan Administration's alleged secret deal with the Iranians in 1980 to delay return of the hostages until after the election. In private practice he is a white-collar-criminal defense attorney; clients have included BCCI and Reagan's former press secretary, who was charged with ethics violations. As a federal attorney in the seventies and early eighties, Barcella garnered international recognition for luring to capture and prosecuting Edwin Wilson, a former CIA agent turned major arms dealer who in turn put out a contract on Barcella's life. The story is in Peter Maas's best-selling book, Manhunt, which describes Barcella's "terrier's tenacity." During his federal stint Barcella noted, "I've been threatened by Chileans, Iranians, Cubans, Libyans, Black Muslims, and the PLO, plus assorted drug dealers." He has received the John Marshall Award, the Justice Department's highest award for litigation. In the future he plans to "continue trying to be one of the top criminal defense attorneys in the country."

Barcella tookhis courtroomtenacity private.