College Scandal Parents Tap Ex-Prosecutors

After former Wilkie Farr & Gallagher co-chair Gordon Caplan was charged in the college admissions scandal in March, he hired an elite defense team.

Three attorneys were from Ropes & Gray’s Boston and New York offices while the two others were from New York white collar defense boutique Smith Villazor, including co-founder Patrick J. Smith.

But Caplan and dozens of others who suddenly found themselves in a serious legal jam consulted the same playbook when it came to expertise. Their legal pros include attorneys with a special skill set to take on bribery, conspiracy, and money laundering—former federal prosecutors.

Prosecutors ...