J. Bruce Maffeo

Senior Counsel

Recent News:

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its Best Lawyers in America 2025 Edition

Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

Bruce is a former federal and state prosecutor who has practiced criminal law for over 40 years. He has tried virtually every type of criminal case, from securities fraud to murder, and has represented individuals ranging from celebrities to indigent clients. As a result of his professional accomplishments, Bruce was inducted in 2009 as a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and served a two-year term as chair of its Downstate New York Committee. He recently appeared as one of four moderators of a week-long conference in Malta on counterterrorism, sponsored by the International Institute of Justice and the Rule of Law.

Bruce routinely conducts high-profile internal investigations on a range of issues for labor unions and businesses, including allegations of corruption and sexual and racial discrimination. Recent engagements include investigations involving the executive director of the National Hockey League Players’ Association, the internationally renowned opera singer, Placido Domingo, and a nationally recognized cancer treatment institute. In addition, he served for 10 years as the Ethical Practices Officer for AFSCME District Council 37, New York City’s largest municipal union, where he was responsible for investigating allegations of financial corruption and other forms of impropriety among that union’s 120,000 members and officers.

Before entering private practice, Bruce was a prosecutor in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Strike Force for the Eastern District of New York. There, he was responsible for bringing several historic RICO prosecutions, including the indictment of the hierarchy of a Long Island-based Laborers Union and the first major prosecution of the savings and loan crisis of the 1980's, a case that dramatically expanded the scope of liability for union pension fund advisers. Bruce testified in the case before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee about the challenges involved in investigating complex financial crime cases.

In addition to his fellowship in the American College of Trial Lawyers, Bruce consistently has been selected as a Super Lawyer and Best Lawyer in his practice area. He is admitted to practice law in the states of New York and New Hampshire, as well as the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the Districts of Connecticut and New Hampshire, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.

Experience

News

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its Best Lawyers in America 2025 Edition

August 15, 2024

Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

Super Lawyers Recognizes 27 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys in New York

September 22, 2023

Thirteen attorneys were recognized as Super Lawyers and 14 were named “Rising Stars.”

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys to its Best Lawyers in America 2024 Edition

August 17, 2023

Best Lawyers selected 232 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

21 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Recognized as New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

October 03, 2022

Super Lawyers has named 21 Cozen O'Connor attorneys to its 2022 New York Metro Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

Six Cozen O’Connor Lawyers Named 2023 “Lawyers of the Year” by Best Lawyers

August 22, 2022

Geoffrey Ferrer, James Forsyth, J. Bruce Maffeo, Suzanne Mayes, Jason Shargel, and Anna Wermuth received the highest annual ratings from their peers.

More Than 200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch

August 22, 2022

210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Super Lawyers Recognizes 17 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys in New York

October 04, 2021

Super Lawyers has named 17 Cozen O’Connor attorneys to its 2021 New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars list.

More Than 205 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 19, 2021

Best Lawyers selected 210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Super Lawyers Recognizes 21 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys in New York

September 29, 2020

Super Lawyers has named 21 Cozen O’Connor attorneys to its 2020 New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars list.

200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 20, 2020

Best Lawyers selected 200 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© (Copyright 2020 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC).

Bruce Maffeo Quoted in Law360 Article on UAW President’s Resignation

November 20, 2019

Facing potential expulsion from United Automobile Workers, Gary Jones, the union president, resigned last week. Bruce Maffeo, a member of the White Collar Defense & Investigations practice group, was quoted in a Law360 article discussing the resignation saying Jones was retiring “to allow the union to focus on its core mission to improve the lives of its members and families.”

18 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Named New York Metro Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

September 21, 2018

Super Lawyers has named 17 Cozen O'Connor attorneys to its 2018 New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars list. Twelve were recognized as Super Lawyers and five were named "Rising Stars."

19 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Recognized as New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

October 05, 2016

The 2016 New York Metro edition of Super Lawyers Magazine, published by Thomson Reuters, has named 21 Cozen O’Connor attorneys to its list of Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.

21 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys Recognized as New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

October 05, 2015

The 2015 New York Metro edition of Super Lawyers Magazine, published by Thomson Reuters, has named 21 Cozen O’Connor attorneys to its list of Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.

Publications

DOJ Antitrust Division Endorses International Cooperation in Cartel Investigations [Alert]

August 20, 2020

J. Bruce Maffeo, Nicole H. Sprinzen, and Thomas Ingalls discuss the DOJ's the Guidance on Enhancing Cross-Border Leniency Cooperation.

Reflections on Boeing’s Exposure Following the 737 MAX Crashes [Alert]

April 17, 2019

Chris Kende, Bruce Maffeo and Dina Moussa, discuss the civil and criminal liability Boeing could face following the two crashes and subsequent grounding of the brand new Boeing 737 MAX.

One Step Over the Line: Second Circuit Revisits Limitations on Proffer Agreements [New York Law Journal]

January 13, 2017

Bruce Maffeo, a member of Cozen O'Connor's Criminal Defense & Internal Investigations practice, discusses the second circuit revisiting limits on Proffer agreements in the New York Law Journal.

Events & Seminars

Past Events

Harco Verdict Impact on Construction Industry

July 27, 2016 - New York, NY

Education

  • Boston University School of Law, J.D., 1979
  • Boston University, B.A., 1974

Awards & Honors

Best Lawyers in America – Criminal Defense: White Collar (2010-2025)

Best Lawyers in America –  “Lawyer of The Year” – Criminal Defense: General Practice – New York City (2023)

New York Super Lawyers (2009-2018)

  • New Hampshire
  • New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court -- Southern District of New York
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court -- New Hampshire
  • U.S. District Court -- Connecticut