Rocco C. Cipparone, Jr. (www.CipparoneLaw.com), is a criminal defense attorney and a former federal prosecutor. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School (Philadelphia, PA). He is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Criminal Trial Attorney, and has an AV Martindale-Hubbell rating, and a "superb" (10 on a scale of 10) rating from AVVO.com.
Rocco Cipparone frequently has been consulted by television, radio, and print news media for legal analysis and commentary, including by Fox Television News, NPR, TIME Magazine, USA Today, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the New Jersey Law Journal, The Courier Post, the Dom Giordano Radio Show (1210 AM Big Talker), the Michael Smerconish Radion Show (1210 AM Big Talker), the Paul W. Smith Radio Show, KYW News Radio, and others. For some examples see http://cipparonelaw.com/television_appearances.html
In 2007, Rocco Cipparone was chosen by the federal court in New Jersey to represent the lead defendant in a significant terrorism case commonly referred to as the "Fort Dix" case. Mr. Cipparone has been recognized for his expertise in New Jersey Super Lawyers Magazine and has been named several times named by South Jersey Magazine as an "Awesome Attorney" for his criminal defense expertise.
He is admitted to practice in all State and Federal trial and appellate courts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Mr. Cipparone maintains a national federal criminal defense practice, and a state criminal defense and civil litigation practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including Camden County, Gloucester County, Burlington County, Atlantic County, Cape May County and others.
Prior to starting the firm in 1992, Rocco Cipparone was an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, investigating and prosecuting all manner of federal criminal cases. While employed as a federal prosecutor by the U.S. Department of Justice, Mr. Cipparone was also designated as an Organized Crime Drug Task Force Prosecutor. He has received awards from the U.S Attorney General, the FBI, DEA, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Department of Transportation.
Since approximately 1991, Rocco Cipparone has been teaching at Rutgers University Law School, Camden, New Jersey, where he teaches "Criminal Practice". He has taught courses in "Legal Research and Writing" and "Moot Court" at Rutgers Law School as well. Since 2014, Mr. Cipparone also has served as an adjunct faculty member at Drexel University School of Law, Philadelphia, PA at which he teaches Introduction to Trial Advocacy.
Since 2014, at the request of the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Rocco Cipparone has served on the United States Attorney's Defense Counsel Advisory Committee in the District of New Jersey. The Committee, headed by the U.S. Attorney, also is made up of Division Chiefs in his office as well as a small invited group of prominent federal defense attorneys. The Committee evaluates and discusses important issues in the federal criminal justice system that equally affect prosecutors and defendants.
In 2003, Mr. Cipparone was appointed by the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey to a merit selection panel to consider the reappointment of a United States Magistrate Judge in the District of New Jersey.
Rocco Cipparone also served on the Ancora Psychiatric Hospital Board of Trustees from 2000 through 2006, having been appointed by former New Jersey Governor Christine T. Whitman. In June 2006, he received a Certifiate in Recognition of his "outstanding service to the mission of Ancora Psychiatric Hospital".
Upon his graduation from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Mr. Cipparone was a Law Clerk to the Honorable Anthony J. Scirica, a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
He has lectured at seminars sponsored by the New Jersey Association for Justice, LawLine.com, the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NJ), the Federal Public Defender (NJ), and the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, The Camden County Bar Association, and others providing continuing legal education to other attorneys on criminal law topics. Mr. Cipparone has written several published articles regarding trial and criminal practice.
EDUCATION
1987 -- Juris Doctor degree, magna cum laude, University of Pennsylvania Law School. Comment Editor, U. Pa. Law Review. Order of the Coif.
1884 -- B.A., summa cum laude, Saint Joseph?s University, Philadelphia, PA. Alpha Sigma Nu, the National Jesuit Honor Society.
1980 -- Saint Joseph's Preparatory High School, Philadelphia, PA.