Mike S. Fawer

Mike Fawer has probably tried more high-profile criminal cases than any other Louisiana attorney over a career that spanned 60 years. The Bronx-born but longtime New Orleans criminal defense attorney has been front and center in the well-known murder cases involving Aaron Mintz, William Johnson and Curtis Kyles; political corruption cases of former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards, Charles Roemer and Chief Judge Walter Nixon; the blatant government misconduct cases of Douglas DiLosa, Curtis Kyles and David Mark; and unique cases including attempted murder by injection of the HIV virus by accused Dr. Richard Schmidt of Lafayette. He has argued more than 25 cases at the appellate level, securing reversals of conviction in at least half and has argued before the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Fawer is renowned for his aggressive style, intense preparation, courtroom bravado, meticulous and attentive approach to jury selection, skilled cross-examinations and humanizing defense narratives. He is a graduate of Cornell University and Columbia Law School, where one of his classmates was a Harvard transfer named Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Aside from Louisiana Mr. Fawer has tried cases in New York, Washington, D.C., Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Nevada. Before locating to New Orleans in 1971, he worked for the U.S. Department of Justice and then the vaunted U.S. District Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Fawer’s extraordinary career is highlighted in his published book “From the Bronx to the Bayou” and in a 10-episode podcast titled “Combat in the Courtroom”.

• Senior Attorney

• Featured in a 10-Episode Podcast Titled “Combat in the Courtroom”
• Representative Clients
• Murder Cases (Aaron Mintz, William Johnson, Curtis Kyles)
• Political Corruption Cases (Edwin Edwards, Charles Roemer, Chief Judge Walter Nixon)
• Blatant Government Misconduct (Douglas Dilosa, Curtis Kyles, David Mark)
• Attempted Murder by Injection of the HIV Virus (Dr. Richard Schmidt of Lafayette)

• U.S. v. Anthony (Tony Ducks) Corallo, et. al
• Court: U.S.D.C. (S.D.N.Y.)
• Year: 1968
• U.S. v. Clyde A. "Rock" Gisclair
• Court: U.S.D.C. (E.D. LA.)
• Year: 1977
• U.S. v. Edwin L. Cabra and Claude "Buddy" Leach
• Court: U.S.D.C. (W.D. LA.)
• Year: 1979
• U.S. v. Carlos Marcello, Charles E. Roemer II, et. al ("Brilab")
• Year: 1981
• U.S. v. Hue B. Snowden
• Court: U.S.D.C. (S.D. Miss.)
• Year: 1982
• State of Louisiana v. Aaron Mintz
• Year: 1984
• U.S. v. Edwin W. Edwards, et. al
• Year: 1986
• U.S. v. David Lamar Faulkner et. al
• Court: U.S.D.C. (N.D. TX.)
• Year: 1989
• State of Louisiana v. Curtis Kyles
• Year: 1998

• New York, 1960
• U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, 1963
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York, 1963
• U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, 1968
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1972
• Louisiana, 1972
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana, 1990
• U.S. District Court Western District of Louisiana, 1990
• U.S. District Court Middle District of Louisiana, 1990
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, 1991
• U.S. District Court Western District of Texas, 1991
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas, 1991
• Texas, 1991
• U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 1960
• U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1972

• Association of the Bar of the City of New York (Member)
• Louisiana State Bar Association (Member)
• American Bar Association (Member)
• State Bar of Texas (Member)
• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Member)