Name T. Funk Role Attorney at law | Employer Perkins Coie | |
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Occupation Attorney
Author
Law Professor Known for Former Assistant United States Attorney and prosecutor for Operation Family Secrets. Education Northwestern University School of Law Books Victims' Rights and Advocacy at the International Criminal Court | ||
T markus funk on mob hitman turned informant nicholas calabrese
T. Markus Funk is an American attorney, law professor, and author best known for the prosecution of several high-profile mob figures during his career at the United States Department of Justice. He is currently a partner in the law firm of Perkins Coie.
Contents
- T markus funk on mob hitman turned informant nicholas calabrese
- Authors virginia m kendall and t markus funk on child exploitation and trafficking
- Education and early career
- US Department of State
- US Department of Justice
- Private practice
- Teaching and writing career
- Bibliography
- Awards and recognition
- References
Authors virginia m kendall and t markus funk on child exploitation and trafficking
Education and early career
Funk was raised in Germany before attending school in Illinois. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Illinois in 1992. He went to Northwestern School of Law where he earned his J.D., graduating in 1995. He later pursued a Ph.D. in law at the University of Oxford.
Prior to his career at the Department of Justice, Funk taught law at the University of Oxford. He was also a law clerk for Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Morris S. Arnold as well as U.S District Court Judge Catherine D. Perry.
U.S. Department of State
Between 2004 and 2006, Funk worked for the U.S. Department of State as the Section Chief in Kosovo following the Kosovo War. He represented the U.S. at diplomatic negotiations and headed the restructuring of Kosovo's justice system after the war. He was given the Superior Honor Award by the Department in recognition of his service in Kosovo and also authored the Kosovo Trial Skills Handbook which was published by the United States Department of Justice in 2006.
U.S. Department of Justice
Funk worked for the United States Department of Justice under U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald for 10 years. During his time with the DOJ, he prosecuted numerous high-profile cases, including those of mobsters, white collar criminals, child pornography possession by a former Roman Catholic priest, and one of Northern Illinois' largest credit card and identity fraud rings.
As an Assistant United States Attorney, Funk prosecuted Frank Calabrese, Sr. and other high-ranking mobsters as part of Operation Family Secrets, an FBI investigation into 18 homicides and various other crimes committed by the Chicago Outfit between the 1960s and 2000s. The investigation was considered one of the most extensive racketeering cases of its kind and was labeled as one of the most important criminal investigations in American history by National Public Radio. During closing arguments of the trial, Calabrese told Funk, "You're a fu**ing dead man." Calabrese and all of his thirteen co-defendants were convicted.
Funk prosecuted former U.S. Marshall John T Ambrose for leaking information to mob figures about the location of a protected witness. It was the first case of its type for a U.S Marshal violating the security of the Witness Protection Program. Ambrose was assigned to guard Nicholas Calabrese, the first "made" member to ever testify against the Chicago outfit. Ambrose was charged and later convicted with leaking information about Calabrese to other mob figures.
Funk also prosecuted mobsters Joseph Scalise, Arthur Rachel and Robert Pullia for their involvement in a conspiracy to rob cash from the First National Bank of La Grange in 2010. The three men, already famous for their 1980 involvement in the theft of the 45-carat Marlborough diamond from Graff's jewelry store, had planned to rob an armored vehicle at the bank and had stolen vehicles and stashed guns to use in the robbery. All three were convicted.
Private practice
Funk left the Department of Justice in 2010 to become a partner at the law firm of Perkins Coie. He specializes in internal investigations and white collar criminal defense, and in 2011 co-founded the firm's corporate social responsibility and supply chain compliance practice.
Teaching and writing career
In addition to teaching at the University of Oxford, Funk has taught law at the University of Chicago Law School, Northwestern School of Law, Loyola, Denver University School of Law, the University of Arkansas Little Rock.
Throughout his career, Funk has been a contributor to numerous law publications, including the American Bar Association, the Howard Law Journal, and the Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology.
Bibliography
Awards and recognition
Funk has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognition throughout his career. He was given the Attorney General's Award (John Marshall Award) for his work on Operation Family Secret. He is the only person to have received both the Department of Justice's Attorney General's Award and the State Department's Superior Honor Award. In 2013, he was named Lawyer of the Year by Law Week Colorado, and in 2012 he was named Colorado's top Corporate/Compliance Lawyer.