Gene Rossi

Gene Rossi is a nationally recognized trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor who represents companies, executives, health care professionals, and individuals in high-stakes criminal matters, government investigations, white collar disputes, and complex civil litigation.

Gene brings nearly 30 years of experience with the U.S. Department of Justice, where he served in the Tax Division and later as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia — the famed “Rocket Docket,” one of the nation’s fastest-paced and most demanding federal jurisdictions. He handled significant matters involving health care fraud, opioids, tax enforcement, public corruption, organized crime, immigration, environmental crimes, violent crime, and national security.

Few lawyers bring Gene’s depth of courtroom experience. Over the course of his DOJ career, he tried more than 110 federal cases, including 90 jury trials, in U.S. district and bankruptcy courts. In the Rocket Docket, he set a record with 65 felony jury trials. In recognition of his trial reputation, the Alexandria U.S. Attorney’s Office designated a special trial preparation space known as the “Gene Rossi War Room.”

Gene also served as lead trial counsel in Operation “Cotton Candy,” one of the largest opioid enforcement initiatives in DOJ history, resulting in more than 200 convictions of doctors, medical staff, and drug dealers.

Today, Gene focuses his practice on white collar defense, internal investigations, grand jury matters, health care and fraud investigations, crisis management, and complex litigation. He advises clients from the earliest stages of an inquiry through trial, sentencing, appeal, and parallel civil or regulatory proceedings.

His representations have included matters arising from the Robert Mueller investigation, campaign finance inquiries, the January 6 Capitol investigation, health care and narcotics investigations, fraud allegations, and other sensitive, high-profile proceedings. In numerous matters, clients were not charged after his representation.

In private practice, Gene has secured favorable outcomes through declinations, pretrial and trial litigation victories, favorable plea resolutions, civil settlements, and substantial sentencing reductions.

Gene’s accomplishments have earned commendations from the DOJ, FBI, and DEA, including the FBI Washington Field Office’s Career Achievement Award — the first time the honor had been presented to a prosecutor. He was also recognized in the 2026 Legal 500 “City Elite” guide for lawyers handling high-stakes matters and as a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an esteemed honorary association representing the top 0.5% of the nation’s lawyers.

In addition to his practice, Gene teaches trial advocacy at Harvard Law School and teaches constitutional law and criminal procedure at George Mason University. He has also guest lectured at the University of Virginia School of Law. A frequent legal commentator, he has appeared often on major national and international media outlets, such as CNN, MS NOW, Fox, CBS, ABC, Law & Crime Network, CBC, and CGTN.

Gene is also active in nonprofit and community leadership, supporting organizations focused on prisoner reentry, legal services, student mentoring, educational opportunity, and decades of coaching youth basketball.

• Represented a pain management physician in connection with a federal narcotics and health care fraud investigation; no charges were filed. 
• Represented and obtained immunity for a key witness in connection with the DOJ's investigation into Paul Manafort arising from the Robert Mueller special counsel inquiry. 
• Represented a former attorney for Stormy Daniels in a Southern District of New York investigation involving campaign finance-related allegations against the president; no charges were brought. 
• Represented an individual in connection with the January 6 Capitol-related federal investigation; after a six-week jury trial, obtained a sentence of probation for multiple counts of conviction, despite a 97-month sentencing guidelines recommendation. 
• Represented a business executive in connection with a federal investigation involving potential corruption, money laundering, and related allegations; no federal charges were filed. 
• Served as lead trial counsel in federal RICO, fraud, organized crime, and national security matters in multiple U.S. attorney’s offices, including the Eastern District of Virginia, District of Columbia, District of New Jersey, and Southern District of New York. 
• Lead trial counsel in Operation Cotton Candy, a major DOJ opioid enforcement initiative resulting in more than 200 convictions of medical professionals, pharmacists, and drug distributors. 
• Lead trial counsel in a federal civil tax trial involving allegations against a Chicago public official. 
• Lead trial counsel in the prosecution of a violent criminal defendant in an OCDETF-related drug trafficking matter involving 30 homicides.

• Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
• Legal 500 City Elite, White Collar Crime (2026)

• Alexandria Bar Association
  • Board of Directors (2019–2021)
• Alexandria Tutoring Consortium
  • Board of Directors (2022–2024)
• Beat the Odds Foundation
  • Board of Directors (2015–2023)
• Frederick Douglass Project for Justice
  • Board of Directors (2026–present)
• Friends of Guest House
  • Board of Directors (2016–2024)
• Litigation Counsel of America
  • Fellow

• "Ethics: Plea Bargaining and Ethical Considerations for Prosecutors and Defense Attorneys," Virginia Trial Lawyers Association (November 12, 2020)