JOSEPH D. MANCANO

  • JOSEPH D. MANCANO

    Founding Member

“You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man’s freedom.”
~ Clarence Darrow

Listen to Joseph Speak here

Executive Leaders Radio

Joseph Mancano was a recent guest on the Executive Leaders Radio show in Philadelphia. Listen to the show below.

Career

Joseph D. Mancano is the founder of Mancano Law, PLLC. He graduated from Temple University School of Law in 1979 where he was on the Dean’s Honor Roll and received the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Trial Advocacy.

Following graduation, Mr. Mancano joined the U.S. Department of Justice under its Honors Program.  He served as Trial Attorney in the Philadelphia Field Office of the Antitrust Division from 1979-1982.  From 1982-1985, Mr. Mancano was a Trial Attorney in the Philadelphia Strike Force Office of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Racketeering Section.  Mr. Mancano continued his government career in 1985 when he was appointed as an Assistant United States Attorney in the St. Louis, Missouri office of the President’s Drug Enforcement Task Force.  As a Justice Department Attorney, Mr. Mancano received official commendations from the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Internal Revenue Service, and U.S. Customs Service.  Prior to founding Mancano Law, PLLC, Mr. Mancano was chairman of the White Collar Criminal Defense practice at a 70-lawyer, multi-state firm.

Mr. Mancano focuses his practice on both civil and criminal litigation in federal courts throughout the United States, and in Pennsylvania state courts.  He is an accomplished trial lawyer, having tried over 100 cases to verdict.  Mr. Mancano also handles federal appeals, and routinely represents clients in regulatory enforcement proceedings. Since 2014, Mr. Mancano has served as a court-appointed Discovery and Settlement Master for civil cases filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Commerce Court.

Mr. Mancano is a prolific speaker and has lectured on myriad topics at law schools, business schools, the FBI Training Academy, and to bar association groups, health care providers, and accounting societies.  He has been selected by his peers for the 2013-2024 editions of Best Lawyers in America in the area of Criminal Defense: White Collar and has been selected Lawyer of the Year for 2022. Mr. Mancano is also listed in the 2018 Guide to the World’s Leading White Collar Crime Lawyers, the international legal market’s guide to the top practitioners advising on white collar crime law.  For the years 2003 through 2024, he has been selected by his peers as one of Pennsylvania’s Super Lawyers for White Collar Criminal Defense, and one of Philadelphia’s Top 100 Super Lawyers for 2013-2021.  On November 28, 2018, Mr. Mancano received The Annual Cesare Beccaria Award presented by the Justinian Society and The Criminal Justice Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the cause of justice and the advancement of legal education. 

Mr. Mancano serves on the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers White Collar Crime Committee.  He has been a member of the American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section and the Section of Antitrust Law, the Criminal Law Committee of the Federal Bar Association in Philadelphia, the Federalist Society, the Justinian Society, and the National Italian American Foundation.  He is past President of the St. Thomas More Society, an organization devoted to promoting the highest ethical standards in the legal profession.

Mr. Mancano is active in civic and charitable organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Act II Playhouse, a professional regional theater in Ambler, Pennsylvania. He served as a Trustee of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, a Jesuit high school in Philadelphia, and was on the Board of Governors of the Civil War Museum of Philadelphia.

Bar Admissions
  • Pennsylvania
  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
  • United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
  • United States Tax Court
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • United States District Court for the District of Columbia
Speaking Engagements
  • Getting Back To Trial: Post Pandemic Federal Criminal Trials (Federal Criminal Law Committee, ED PA) September 22, 2022
  • “Defending Health Care Defendants – Fighting the Multi-Front War”, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ 8th Annual West Coast White Collar Conference (Santa Monica, Calif.), June 21, 2018.
  • “Black Hat or White Hat? Government Hacking in The Operation Pacifier Investigation”, Federalist Society Student Chapter, University of Iowa College of Law (Iowa City, Iowa), February 23, 2017
  • “Understanding Bank Loan and Treasury Management Agreements,” University of North Carolina Treasury Management Series (Chapel Hill, NC), September 27, 2016
  • “Legal Pitfalls in Treasury Management,” University of North Carolina Treasury Management Series (Chapel Hill, NC), September 27, 2016
  • “Ethical Issues that Can Arise in Grand Jury Practice”, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, July 21, 2016.
  • “Sentencing and Plea Negotiations,” Drexel University Law School, November 4, 2015.
  • “Forensic Issues in Health Care Fraud,” Cardozo School of Law’s National Forensics College (New York, NY), June 11, 2015.
  • “Fraud/Theft Offenses I “, 23rd Annual National Seminar on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines
    (St. Petersburg, FL), June 11-13, 2014
  • “Legal Pitfalls in Treasury,” University of North Carolina Treasury Management Series (Chapel Hill, NC), October 8, 2013
  • “Understanding Bank Agreements,” University of North Carolina Treasury Management Series (Chapel Hill, NC), October 8, 2013
  • “The Intersection of Corporate Governance and Criminal Law,” DRI’s Government Enforcement and Corporate Compliance Seminar (Washington, D.C.), June 27, 2013
  • “Plea Bargaining,” 22nd Annual National Seminar on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines (Orlando, FL), May 22-24, 2013
  • “The False Claims Act,” Chester County Bar Association’s CLE (Chester County, PA), February 12, 2013
  • Opening Statements from Prosecutor & Defense,” PICPA Forensic & Litigation Services Conference (King of Prussia, PA), November 28, 2012
  • “Under the Microscope:  Developments in FDA and Healthcare Fraud Enforcement,” NACDL’s 8th Annual Defending the White Collar Case: In & Out of Court (New York, NY), November 15, 2012
  • “Understanding Bank Agreements,” University of North Carolina Treasury Management Services (Chapel Hill, NC), October 2, 2012
  • “Legal Pitfalls in Treasury,” University of North Carolina Treasury Management Services (Chapel Hill, NC), October 2, 2012
  • “Healthcare Fraud,” 2012 PICPA Health Care Conference (Lancaster, PA), June 11, 2012
  • “Plea Bargaining,” 21st Annual National Seminar on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines sponsored by the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, the Criminal Justice Section of the ABA, and the NACDL (St. Petersburg, FL), May 25, 2012
  • “Hot Topics for In-House Counsel,” ABA’s Internal Investigations Conference (San Francisco, CA), May 16, 2012
  • “Understanding Bank Agreements:  A Litigation Perspective,” University of North Carolina Treasury Management Services (Chapel Hill, NC), October 3, 2011 and March 28, 2011
  • “Self-Preservation or Self-Immolation:  Self Disclosure to DOJ, HHS and other Government Agencies,” The Philadelphia Young Lawyers Division of the ABA’s White Collar Crime Committee Program (Philadelphia, PA), May 20, 2010
  • “How to Survive a Criminal Tax Investigation,” The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the ABA’s Criminal Justice Section of the White Collar Crime Committee and Pietragallo Gordan Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP CLE Program (Pittsburgh, PA), April 15, 2010
  • “Legal Frameworks:  Trends, Understanding Bank Agreements & More,” 2010 University of North Carolina Treasury Management Program (Chapel Hill, NC), April 13, 2010 and October 13, 2010
  • “Financial Prosecutions:  Be Aware of the Trends,” Philadelphia Association for Financial Professionals, 2009 Treasury Initiatives Conference (Malvern, PA), April 22, 2009
  • “So The Feds Have You In Their Crosshairs:  Now What?”, National Constitution Center Audioconference (Philadelphia, PA), December 22, 2008
  • “Riding Out the Sub-Prime Mortgage Crisis,” Professional Lines Attorney Network Regional Workshop (New York, NY), June 26, 2008
  • “When in Rome – How to Protect Your Corporate Assets at Home and Overseas,” American Lawyer Media (Philadelphia, PA), April, 2005
  • “Current Issues in the Investigation of Medical Center Fraud,” International Association of Special Investigative Units, Delaware Valley, PA Chapter, (Philadelphia, PA) May, 2001
  • “Fraud in the New Millennium,” Seminar presented to the International Association of Special Investigative Units, (Orlando, FL), September, 2000
  • “The Proper Handling and Confidential Treatment of Patient Records and Patient Information,” Employee Training Seminar presented to John F. Kennedy Community Mental Health/Mental Retardation Center (Philadelphia, PA) February, 1995
  • “The Role of the Accountant in a Criminal Tax Fraud Investigation,” Seminar presented by Special Litigation Department of Duane, Morris & Heckscher (Philadelphia, PA), May, 1989
Selected Publications

“United States v. Norris – An Attack on the Attorney–Client Privilege,” The Legal Intelligencer, July 5, 2011

“False Claims in Construction – Qui Tam Issues in the Industry Today,” For the Defense, Defense Research Institute Magazine, Vol. 52, June, 2010

“The Government’s Increased Spending on Fraud Enforcement Will Likely Result in the Execution of More Search Warrants – Is Your Company Ready?”, U.S. Law, Spring/Summer, 2010

“The ‘New’ Confrontation Clause?  The Supreme Court’s Melendez-Diaz Decision,” Upon Further Review, August 10, 2009

“The Antitrust Division’s Corporate Leniency Policy:  A Deal is a Deal?”, The Champion, September, 2008

Testimonials

“Joe was invaluable in helping me and my family through one of the most difficult times of our lives. After I was falsely accused of 6 felony counts by the Federal Government my family went through 4 of the toughest months they will ever have to endure. We were dealing with a frivolous case that led to overwhelming emotions involved in knowing that the punishment was potentially spending the rest of my life in federal prison for something I did not do. Joe was able to piece together a very intricate puzzle.  He meticulously scrutinized the testimony of over 200 witnesses, hundreds of thousands of pages of documents and the suppression of evidence that had taken place over almost 7 years to forge a defense that defied the odds. Statistics show the sobering results of federal white collar crime prosecutions as less than 1 out of 100 defendants actually win an acquittal at trial. I am here to tell you that I am 1 of the 100 who were found ‘Unanimously” not guilty on all counts thanks to the incredible time and effort put forth by Joe. I will be forever grateful for the emotional support and belief that he gave to me as a small business owner who was fighting very stiff odds.  Joe, you are one in a million and you have given me back my life. “

Patrick M. Squires

********************

“I was very fortunate to have Joseph Mancano represent me in a very serious financial situation caused by another person in my life.  His representation resulted in the best possible outcome for me because of his knowledge and expertise.  This victory saved me from financial ruin as well as avoiding other potential liabilities.  The consequences of my situation could have been devastating had he not been successful.  Anyone would be fortunate to have Mr. Mancano represent them as well.  He is not only an exceptional attorney, but very honest and truly cares about his clients; qualities you expect and deserve but do not always get.

He is a real hero in my life!”

Karin Carter

********************

“June 2, 2010 my life changed for the worst.  I was implicated in a very large case, dealing with a large tax loss to the government.  The case was complex because it dealt with over twelve different companies.  I had done some research and found that in these particular cases it always seemed that the assistant ended up taking the largest portion of the punishment, therefore I knew I was in deep!  This is when Joseph Mancano was hired as my attorney.  I made the decision to hire Joe after an initial interview and some research of his past experiences, and this was the best decision I have ever made.  Joe’s work history as assistant United States Attorney and work in the Department of Justice helped aid his knowledge of how the system works.  Joe was able to create a working outline of my case.  Joe explained to me every step of the way how things were going to progress.  Joe’s interactions with the United States prosecutor and the agent of the Internal Revenue Service were nothing short of spectacular.  On numerous occasions, the Internal Revenue Service agents and the prosecutor informed me that I was well represented.  The outcome of my case was extremely favorable to me.”

Robert Lapinto

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“Joe Mancano has represented the John F. Kennedy Behavioral Health Center for over 15 years and we continue to be impressed by his professionalism, knowledge of the law and the effort he puts into understanding the mental health business. Mr. Mancano has worked with many managers as well as myself, and I have only heard positive comments about those interactions. It is an honor and pleasure to work with him and we recommend him to our colleagues in the field.”

Jo Williamson, President/CEO

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“Joe is a genuine professional with extraordinary command of both the law and courtroom. His willingness to work with me to understand and achieve my goals resulted in an effective and efficient disposition of my case.

Joe has all the qualities you want in an attorney – responsive and attentive, a strong knowledge of procedure and practice – without all of the negatives that are often associated with a counsel of his experience and specialty. He’s down-to-earth, personable, and humble -and he is someone in whom I have the utmost trust, confidence, and respect to dutifully represent me professionally and personally.”

Salvatore M. Cutrona, Sr. Chair Emeritus
Albright College
Reading, PA

President,
Ledgerock Capital Partners, Inc. Cutrona Family Trust, Inc.

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