139:. After being hired by Weinstein, she brought on colleague and frequent collaborator, Damon Cheronis, to assist along with local counsel Arthur Aidala of the law firm Aidala, Bertuna, & Kamins, PC. During the trial, Rotunno was a vocal advocate for Weinstein, speaking out against his accusers and the #MeToo movement, making remarks such as "The emotion of this case has taken over. There is a truth you have not reported on." Throughout the duration of the trial, Rotunno's style and choice of clothing was closely covered by media sources who noted her penchant for designer clothing.
115:, who was under investigation for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Rhoni Reuter. Gayle was ultimately not charged for the murder and eventually, a woman by the name of Marni Yang was convicted of the crime. In 2013, Rotunno successfully defended prominent Chicago-based fashion designer Elhadji "Haj" Gueye from charges of sexual assault and rape. The following year, she successfully defended Stanley Stallworth, a former partner at the renowned law firm
22:
100:'s Office. She litigated cases in several divisions of the Circuit Court of Cook County, before leaving to become a private criminal defense attorney. In 2005, she became the principal member of her own law firm in Chicago, the Law Offices of Rotunno & Giralamo, PC. She currently works out of the
166:. Rotunno and her legal team were successful in securing a not guilty verdict on three counts including two more serious charges of predatory sexual assault. She said the sentence was harsher than some convicted murderers, and asked the court to take Weinstein's health into consideration.
161:
when she was asked whether she had ever been the victim of a sexual assault. Rotunno responded, "I have not because I would never put myself in that position." Rotunno said she believed that
Weinstein was not guilty, despite what the media may say, clarifying he was only guilty of
126:
Rotunno says that her gender has allowed her to defend clients successfully. She has said men can be excellent lawyers, but "if goes at that woman with the same venom that I do, he looks like a bully. If I do it, nobody even bats an eyelash."
502:
815:
598:
567:
652:
217:
73:
703:
536:
119:, who had been accused of sexual assault. In 2016, Rotunno represented Mohammad Abdullah Saleem, a cleric and founder of the Institute for Islamic Education in
825:
810:
306:
629:
494:
830:
764:
468:
590:
45:
68:, the daughter of a food industry executive and an elementary school teacher. She attended the Immaculate Heart of Mary High School,
559:
442:
357:
408:
332:
123:. Saleem was charged with sexual abuse of one child and one woman, he eventually agreed to a plea deal and received probation.
97:
820:
805:
765:"Harvey Weinstein's attorney says she's 'sickened' by the verdict and blames 'public pressure' for the jurors' decision"
529:"Harvey Weinstein's lawyer says she's never been sexually assaulted 'because I would never put myself in that position'"
101:
40:, IL. She is best known for her work defending men accused of sexual assault, particularly the unsuccessful defence of
81:
528:
246:
730:
33:
653:"Perspective | The women surrounding the Weinstein trial are using their clothes to redefine who has power"
800:
621:
272:
191:
69:
56:. Up until Weinstein's conviction in February 2020, Rotunno had only ever lost one sexual assault case.
795:
218:"Harvey Weinstein's Chicago lawyers: A trial 'bulldog' and a fan of the Supreme Court — and Sinatra"
157:
148:
382:
738:
660:
416:
280:
136:
41:
120:
49:
685:
560:"Who is willing to defend Harvey Weinstein? A third high-powered lawyer wants off case"
77:
21:
591:"Harvey Weinstein hires new legal team; lawyer says movie mogul is being 'railroaded'"
789:
116:
143:
105:
85:
112:
53:
704:"Weinstein lawyer Donna Rotunno says he's only guilty of cheating on his wife"
163:
742:
664:
420:
284:
48:
and rape. During the
Weinstein trial, Rotunno came out as an opponent of the
469:"More About The Acquittal Of An Ex-Sidley Partner On Sexual Assault Charges"
495:"Elgin Muslim leader admits sex abuse of minor and woman, gets probation"
273:"She's Harvey Weinstein's Lawyer, and She Thinks #MeToo Is 'Dangerous'"
65:
37:
111:
In 2011, Rotunno represented former
Chicago Bear's defensive back
20:
622:"The 4 Most Troubling Facts About Harvey Weinstein's New Lawyer"
443:"Marni Yang's defense team looking into Shaun Gayle's alibi"
142:
Rotunno received backlash for her comments made to reporter
686:"Weinstein's lawyer Donna Rotunno: 'The fight is not over'"
731:"Harvey Weinstein's Stunning Downfall: 23 Years in Prison"
358:"A Profile Of Donna Rotunno, Harvey Weinstein's Attorney"
88:
in 2000, and was subsequently admitted to
Illinois Bar.
409:"Weinstein Brings on New Lawyers for Sex-Crimes Trial"
96:
Rotunno began her legal career as a prosecutor in the
333:"The 'ultimate feminist' defending Harvey Weinstein"
383:"Donna A. Rotunno Lawyer Profile on Martindale.com"
558:Winton, Richard; Queally, James (June 17, 2020).
307:"The Weinstein Trial and the Lies of Due Process"
192:"Why Donna Rotunno Defends Men Accused of Rape"
816:University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumni
8:
80:where she earned a BA. She matriculated to
64:Rotunno was born in the western suburbs of
74:University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
175:
522:
520:
539:from the original on February 7, 2020
245:O’Connor, Maureen (January 5, 2020).
7:
763:Mark, Michelle (February 26, 2020).
620:Allaire, Christian (July 11, 2019).
247:"Who Would Defend Harvey Weinstein?"
240:
238:
185:
183:
181:
179:
52:(#MeToo) as well as an advocate for
826:21st-century American women lawyers
135:In July 2019, Rotunno was hired by
811:Chicago-Kent College of Law alumni
632:from the original on July 12, 2019
601:from the original on July 12, 2019
570:from the original on June 18, 2019
441:Herald, Daily (January 22, 2020).
305:Garber, Megan (February 8, 2020).
14:
527:Sanchez, Ray (February 7, 2020).
505:from the original on May 18, 2019
493:Houde, George (August 25, 2016).
271:Ransom, Jan (February 18, 2020).
407:Ramey, Corinne (June 27, 2019).
16:American Criminal defense lawyer
216:Hinton, Rachel (July 5, 2019).
1:
831:21st-century American lawyers
729:Ransom, Jan (July 14, 2020).
589:Reiss, Adam (July 11, 2019).
98:Cook County State's Attorney
82:Chicago-Kent College of Law
847:
44:in his New York trial for
36:, who lives and works in
146:during an interview for
60:Early life and education
46:criminal sexual assault
34:criminal defense lawyer
26:
821:Rosary College alumni
131:Harvey Weinstein case
70:Westchester, Illinois
25:Donna Rotunno in 2020
24:
806:Lawyers from Chicago
710:. February 20, 2020
413:Wall Street Journal
84:where she earned a
735:The New York Times
499:chicagotribune.com
387:www.martindale.com
277:The New York Times
149:The New York Times
102:Marquette Building
27:
564:Los Angeles Times
447:Chicago Sun-Times
222:Chicago Sun-Times
190:Sciortino, Jeff.
838:
780:
779:
777:
775:
760:
754:
753:
751:
749:
726:
720:
719:
717:
715:
700:
694:
693:
692:. March 2, 2021.
682:
676:
675:
673:
671:
648:
642:
641:
639:
637:
617:
611:
610:
608:
606:
586:
580:
579:
577:
575:
555:
549:
548:
546:
544:
524:
515:
514:
512:
510:
490:
484:
483:
481:
479:
464:
458:
457:
455:
453:
438:
432:
431:
429:
427:
404:
398:
397:
395:
393:
379:
373:
372:
370:
368:
354:
348:
347:
345:
343:
337:Business Insider
331:Mark, Michelle.
328:
322:
321:
319:
317:
302:
296:
295:
293:
291:
268:
262:
261:
259:
257:
242:
233:
232:
230:
228:
213:
207:
206:
204:
202:
196:Chicago magazine
187:
154:
137:Harvey Weinstein
42:Harvey Weinstein
30:Donna A. Rotunno
846:
845:
841:
840:
839:
837:
836:
835:
786:
785:
784:
783:
773:
771:
762:
761:
757:
747:
745:
728:
727:
723:
713:
711:
702:
701:
697:
684:
683:
679:
669:
667:
657:Washington Post
651:Givhan, Robin.
650:
649:
645:
635:
633:
619:
618:
614:
604:
602:
588:
587:
583:
573:
571:
557:
556:
552:
542:
540:
526:
525:
518:
508:
506:
492:
491:
487:
477:
475:
466:
465:
461:
451:
449:
440:
439:
435:
425:
423:
406:
405:
401:
391:
389:
381:
380:
376:
366:
364:
356:
355:
351:
341:
339:
330:
329:
325:
315:
313:
304:
303:
299:
289:
287:
270:
269:
265:
255:
253:
244:
243:
236:
226:
224:
215:
214:
210:
200:
198:
189:
188:
177:
172:
152:
133:
121:Elgin, Illinois
94:
62:
50:Me Too movement
32:is an American
17:
12:
11:
5:
844:
842:
834:
833:
828:
823:
818:
813:
808:
803:
798:
788:
787:
782:
781:
755:
721:
695:
677:
643:
612:
581:
550:
516:
485:
459:
433:
399:
374:
349:
323:
297:
263:
234:
208:
174:
173:
171:
168:
132:
129:
93:
90:
78:Rosary College
61:
58:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
843:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
801:Living people
799:
797:
794:
793:
791:
770:
766:
759:
756:
744:
740:
736:
732:
725:
722:
709:
705:
699:
696:
691:
687:
681:
678:
666:
662:
658:
654:
647:
644:
631:
627:
623:
616:
613:
600:
596:
592:
585:
582:
569:
565:
561:
554:
551:
538:
534:
530:
523:
521:
517:
504:
500:
496:
489:
486:
474:
473:Above the Law
470:
463:
460:
448:
444:
437:
434:
422:
418:
414:
410:
403:
400:
388:
384:
378:
375:
363:
359:
353:
350:
338:
334:
327:
324:
312:
308:
301:
298:
286:
282:
278:
274:
267:
264:
252:
248:
241:
239:
235:
223:
219:
212:
209:
197:
193:
186:
184:
182:
180:
176:
169:
167:
165:
160:
159:
151:
150:
145:
140:
138:
130:
128:
124:
122:
118:
117:Sidley Austin
114:
109:
107:
103:
99:
91:
89:
87:
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
59:
57:
55:
51:
47:
43:
39:
35:
31:
23:
19:
772:. Retrieved
768:
758:
746:. Retrieved
734:
724:
712:. Retrieved
708:The Guardian
707:
698:
689:
680:
668:. Retrieved
656:
646:
634:. Retrieved
625:
615:
603:. Retrieved
594:
584:
572:. Retrieved
563:
553:
541:. Retrieved
532:
507:. Retrieved
498:
488:
476:. Retrieved
472:
467:Lat, David.
462:
450:. Retrieved
446:
436:
424:. Retrieved
412:
402:
390:. Retrieved
386:
377:
365:. Retrieved
361:
352:
340:. Retrieved
336:
326:
314:. Retrieved
311:The Atlantic
310:
300:
288:. Retrieved
276:
266:
254:. Retrieved
250:
225:. Retrieved
221:
211:
199:. Retrieved
195:
156:
147:
144:Megan Twohey
141:
134:
125:
110:
106:Chicago Loop
95:
63:
29:
28:
18:
796:1975 births
774:November 3,
748:November 3,
670:November 3,
636:November 3,
605:November 2,
574:November 2,
543:November 3,
509:November 3,
478:November 2,
452:November 2,
426:November 2,
392:November 2,
367:November 2,
342:November 2,
316:November 2,
290:November 2,
256:November 2,
251:Vanity Fair
227:November 2,
201:November 2,
113:Shaun Gayle
54:due process
790:Categories
170:References
164:infidelity
155:s podcast
743:0362-4331
665:0190-8286
421:0099-9660
285:0362-4331
158:The Daily
714:March 2,
690:BBC News
630:Archived
599:Archived
595:NBC News
568:Archived
537:Archived
503:Archived
769:Insider
362:NPR.org
104:in the
66:Chicago
38:Chicago
741:
663:
419:
283:
92:Career
72:, the
626:Vogue
153:'
776:2020
750:2020
739:ISSN
716:2021
672:2020
661:ISSN
638:2020
607:2020
576:2020
545:2020
511:2020
480:2020
454:2020
428:2020
417:ISSN
394:2020
369:2020
344:2020
318:2020
292:2020
281:ISSN
258:2020
229:2020
203:2020
533:CNN
108:.
792::
767:.
737:.
733:.
706:.
688:.
659:.
655:.
628:.
624:.
597:.
593:.
566:.
562:.
535:.
531:.
519:^
501:.
497:.
471:.
445:.
415:.
411:.
385:.
360:.
335:.
309:.
279:.
275:.
249:.
237:^
220:.
194:.
178:^
86:JD
76:,
778:.
752:.
718:.
674:.
640:.
609:.
578:.
547:.
513:.
482:.
456:.
430:.
396:.
371:.
346:.
320:.
294:.
260:.
231:.
205:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
