Attorney Robert Alessi Is Stealing Hearts in the Karen Read Case, but Is He Married?

Many of us have become well acquainted with attorney Robert J. Alessi, who is highly regarded for his "strategic mindset" and "exceptional work ethic," thanks to his involvement in Karen Read's murder retrial.

While he doesn't usually handle murder cases, he typically focuses on environmental and financial matters, and even defends government entities. This case has really put his name out there and sparked curiosity about who he is.

Alessi is the Global Vice Chair of DLA Piper’s Energy Sector and, according to his DLA Piper bio, once represented the government entity tasked with rebuilding the World Trade Center.

But now that he’s taken on such a controversial case, as some believe Read is innocent and others think she’s guilty, people want to know everything there is to know about Alessi, including whether he is married.

A quick Google search about whether Robert Alessi is married pulls up a 1983 New York Times piece announcing a wedding between Emma Rein and a Robert Alessi, but that doesn’t seem to be the same Alessi representing Karen Read.

The middle initial is different (an "A" vs. a "J"), though that Robert Alessi is also a lawyer. As for the attorney in the Read case, it’s actually unclear if he’s married or has kids, though some joke that if he does, his kids probably wouldn’t get away with anything.

The reality is, some attorneys prefer to keep their private lives out of the spotlight, especially given the weight of their roles and the sometimes unfair outcomes that result from their legal representation.

That seems to be the case with Robert J. Alessi. In sensitive cases, like criminal or personal injury, the outcome can affect more than just the people directly involved.

Sometimes, when the public doesn’t agree with the verdict, they lash out at those they think influenced it, like the lawyer or even the lawyer’s family. To protect their loved ones from threats or harsh criticism, some attorneys choose to keep their families out of the public eye altogether.

As we mentioned, Alessi tends to keep his private life just that, private, though some personal details are publicly available. For instance, his LinkedIn reveals he earned a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and his Juris Doctor (cum laude) from Albany Law School.

He’s been a partner at DLA Piper since May 2012 and has received several awards for his litigation work, including being named a Law360 Environmental Law MVP in 2012.

While we can’t confirm if he’s married or has kids, there is one woman who shares his last name, Samantha Alessi, who is also based in New York, and works as an Assistant United States Attorney at the Department of Justice.

Whether there’s any connection between the two Alessis is unclear, but they do share the same name and work in the same field.

One thing we do know, however, is that Alessi is gaining some pretty big fans, with one person writing in the comments of a TikTok, "Mr. Alessi, the jury finds you guilty… of stealing our hearts."