Our Attorneys
John Michael Vazquez
John Michael Vazquez focuses his practice primarily on white-collar criminal defense; complex commercial, securities and health care litigation; and appeals.
From 2007 to 2008, John served as the First Assistant Attorney General for the State of New Jersey, under Attorney General Anne Milgram, after serving eight months as a Special Assistant to then Attorney General Stuart Rabner on criminal justice matters including political corruption, securities fraud, Medicaid fraud, and other white collar offenses.
As the number two person in the Department of Law and Public Safety, John was responsible for coordinating policies, operations, and investigations in the 9,500-person department. John also oversaw the day-to-day operations of the divisions within the department, including the Divisions of Criminal Justice, Law, State Police, Consumer Affairs, Civil Rights, Elections, Alcoholic Beverage Control, Highway Traffic Safety, Gaming Enforcement, the Juvenile Justice Commission, and the Racing Commission. John also worked closely with the Attorney General to implement Governor Jon Corzine’s Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Anti-Crime Plan.
Prior to joining the Attorney General’s Office, John was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey from 2001 to 2006, specializing in investigating and prosecuting health care fraud, including Medicare fraud, and securities fraud cases. U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie named John the Health Care Fraud Coordinator for the District. John also worked in the terrorism unit and major narcotics unit of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Newark. While at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in addition to successfully trying securities fraud matters, he worked on the investigation into UMDNJ that resulted in a deferred prosecution agreement and worked on a matter involving the St. Barnabas Health Care System, which resulted in a civil agreement to repay more than $250 million to the Medicare program.
John received a bachelor's degree in political science and history from Rutgers College in 1992, and graduated summa cum laude from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1996. He clerked for Judge Herman D. Michaels, the presiding judge of the New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division, from September 1996 to August 1997, and was an associate in the law offices of Michael Critchley & Associates in West Orange from September 1997 until September 2001.
Email address: jvazquez@critchleylaw.com
