Christopher Morvillo, a partner at Clifford Chance law firm was celebrating the acquittal of billionaire British tech tycoon Mike Lynch in a US fraud case when the yacht, which was carrying 22 people, sank off the port of Porticello, near Palermo. Rescuers saved 15 people and pulled the body of one crew member out of the water but six remain missing, including Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, Christopher Morvillo, his wife Neda Morvillo, Morgan Stanley boss Jonathan Bloomer and Bloomer's wife.
Morvillo, who is now presumed dead, highlighted his pride in his firm's assistance to Lynch and co-accused Steven Chamberlain during their legal victory in a San Francisco court before the disaster. Lynch, caught in fraud allegations over the $11.1 billion sale of his business Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard, was exonerated alongside Chamberlain, who experienced his own tragedy, passing away after being hit by a car in England at the weekend.
Days after the acquittals, Morvillo posted his first and last LinkedIn post and ended his lengthy praise with a now-haunting seven words, writing: "And they all lived happily ever after.."
Morvillo previously served as an assistant US attorney for the Southern District of New York between 1999 and 2005. He worked on several high-profile corruption cases. His wife Neda has her own luxury jewelry line and the pair have an apartment on New York's Upper East side and well as a four-bedroom Connecticut home.
They share two daughters, 27-year-old Sabrina and 23-year-old Sophia. The lawyer and his wife are feared to remain trapped within the sunken vessel, over 164 feet beneath the waves. Divers have recently embarked from Porticello, close to Palermo, desperate to navigate through cabins blocked by debris that had shifted during the violent storm that toppled the luxury sailboat early Monday.
The 15 survivors include a mother who reportedly held her one-year-old baby above the waves to save her. The yacht, constructed in 2008 by Italian company Perini Navi, was carrying 12 passengers and 10 crew members. Online charter companies report that it has been available for charter for 195,000 euros per week and is known for its enormous 75-metre tall aluminum mast, one of the tallest globally.
Morvillo's 495-word first and final LinkedIn post in full
"I have never posted on LinkedIn before. Not sure why. The answer must lie somewhere between a fear of social media, an ignorance of the mysteries of this platform, and a lack of something meaningful to say. But, following the jury's swift exoneration of our client, Mike Lynch, and his colleague, Steven Chamberlain, last week in San Francisco, I finally have something to say that I would like others to hear. While I am proud to share the "Litigator of the Week" nod with my friends Brian Heberlig and Gary Lincenberg, this thrilling verdict flows directly from years of painstaking work by an extraordinary cross-border team, and I would like to recognize some of them as the Litigators of the Last Decade."
"To my partners Daniel Silver and Celeste Koeleveld, and the core Clifford Chance trial team Kylie McLaughlin, Harriet Slack, Oriane Hakkila Green, Ayla Ronald, Julia Krusen, Catherine Tanner, Mina Juhn, William Lanier, Larysa K. , Natalie Hoehl, Erica Lignell, Julia Bruns, and Jacqueline Lee: I am in awe at the enthusiastic commitment you brought to the table every day. A direct line runs from you to the verdict.
"To Brian Heberlig, Michelle Levin, Jonathan Baum, Reid Weingarten and the rest of the amazing Steptoe LLP team, including, Nicholas Silverman, David Fragale, Galen Kast, Drew Harris, James Purce, Caroline Covington, Meredith Lewis, Samantha McCarthy, Elena Chun, Riley Segal, and Mikaela Aaland: watching two large law firms operate as one seamless team is the second most important accomplishment of the trial. Dream Team."
"To Gary Lincenberg, Michael Landman, Ray Seilie, Rachel Capata and Cassidy Capata: what a pleasure to divide and conquer with you. Steve could not have asked for a more resolute team."
"Across the long arc of this case, I have watched as core team members have grown into superstar lawyers and left the nest. It would be a fool's errand to try to name them all, but I would be remiss if I did not pay homage to Mary Jane Yoon, Taylor Dean, Ivana Djak, Tara McGrath, and Megan Farrell. Your brilliance was on display in the courtroom even though you were all off slaying dragons in other kingdoms."
"Across the pond, to Kelwin Nicholls, Jeremy Sandelson, Iain Roxborough and my partners and colleagues at Clifford Chance, your incomparable work, support, and therapy along the way made this gargantuan task seem manageable even in the darkest hours. Forever grateful."
"To Robert Miles, Richard Hill, Sharif A. Shivji KC, Alex Bailin KC, Aaron Watkins and Michael Bowes. Your exceptional work provided essential fodder for key victories during the trial. A luxury to stand on the shoulders of giants. Thank you."
"And, finally, a huge thank you to my patient and incredible wife, Neda Morvillo, and my two strong, brilliant, and beautiful daughters, Sabrina Morvillo and Sophia Morvillo. None of this would have been possible without your love and support. I am so glad to be home. ".
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