Benito Romano: Difference between revisions
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'''Benito Romano''' (born 1950) is the first Puerto Rican to hold the United States Attorney's post in New York on an interim basis. |
'''Benito Romano''' (born 1950) is the first Puerto Rican to hold the United States Attorney's post in New York on an interim basis. |
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==Early years== |
==Early years== |
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Romano's parents moved to [[New York City]] from [[Puerto Rico]] and settled down in the Bronx where he was |
Romano's parents moved to [[New York City]] from [[Puerto Rico]] and settled down in the Bronx where he was born and raised. His grandfather, a dairy farmer, immigrated from [[Palermo]], Italy to Puerto Rico and married a local Puerto Rican woman. His family was poor, Romano grew up on Simpson Street in the [[South Bronx]] and his father worked in a factory that made cigarette holders.<ref name="NYT 1-11-89">[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE4D81F3AF932A25752C0A96F948260 New York Times, "Interim U.S. Attorney: 'Street Smart' and Fair"; By DENNIS HEVESI; Published: January 11, 1989]</ref> |
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Romano went to [[Morris High School (Bronx, New York)]] where he played in the school's baseball and was good enough to be an All-City second baseman. After graduating from Morris High School Romano went to and graduated from [[New York University]] in 1972. In 1976, he graduated from [[Columbia University Law School]] earning his [[Juris Doctor]] law degree, becoming the first member of his family to go to college.<ref name="NYT 1-11-89"/> In 1977, he was admitted to the [[New York Bar]]. |
Romano went to [[Morris High School (Bronx, New York)]] where he played in the school's baseball and was good enough to be an All-City second baseman. After graduating from Morris High School Romano went to and graduated from [[New York University]] in 1972. In 1976, he graduated from [[Columbia University Law School]] earning his [[Juris Doctor]] law degree, becoming the first member of his family to go to college.<ref name="NYT 1-11-89"/> In 1977, he was admitted to the [[New York Bar]]. |
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Revision as of 19:21, 8 April 2010
Benito Romano | |
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| Occupation | Lawyer |
Benito Romano (born 1950) is the first Puerto Rican to hold the United States Attorney's post in New York on an interim basis.
Early years
Romano's parents moved to New York City from Puerto Rico and settled down in the Bronx where he was born and raised. His grandfather, a dairy farmer, immigrated from Palermo, Italy to Puerto Rico and married a local Puerto Rican woman. His family was poor, Romano grew up on Simpson Street in the South Bronx and his father worked in a factory that made cigarette holders.[1]
Romano went to Morris High School (Bronx, New York) where he played in the school's baseball and was good enough to be an All-City second baseman. After graduating from Morris High School Romano went to and graduated from New York University in 1972. In 1976, he graduated from Columbia University Law School earning his Juris Doctor law degree, becoming the first member of his family to go to college.[1] In 1977, he was admitted to the New York Bar.
United States Attorney for the Southern District
During his seven years in the office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District, he was chief of the corruption unit under United States Attorney Rudolph W. Giuliani at the height of the municipal scandals. Romano as chief of the public corruption unit, played a crucial role in the negotiations during which Geoffrey A. Lindenauer, an official in the city's Parking Violations Bureau, was persuaded to testify for the Government. Romano later was named associate United States attorney, the third-ranking position.[1]
Joseph A. Califano, Jr., the former Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, hired Romano as director of the New York State Commission on Government Integrity and later recruited Romano to his law firm.[1]
On February 1, 1989, Romano was named the interim replacement for Giuliani as the Federal prosecutor in Manhattan. Romano has endorsed the major insider-trading cases and the emphasis on drug, organized-crime and government-corruption prosecutions that began in Giuliani's term.[2] When the New York Times headline An Italian Name was published describing the crime-fighting achievement of Romano, he was quick to clarify that he identifies himself as a Puerto Rican and not as an Italian.[3]
On September 7, 1989, President George W. Bush nominated Otto G. Obermaier, a defense lawyer, as the permanent successor to Giuliani[4] and on September 22, 1989, Obermaier was confirmed by the United States Senate as Giuliani's successor.
Partner at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP in New York
Benito is currently a partner in Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's litigation practice group, based in New York. [5]He focuses his practice on white collar defence, including SEC and other regulatory enforcement, and related complex civil litigation. For the past 20 years he has been a partner and the leader of the white collar defence practice group at Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
On April 17, 2006, he was appointed by New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly to serve on the newly-created, four-member legal advisory committee to the New York City Police Department.[6]
He is married and is the father of five children.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans - Judges and law enforcement
References
- ^ a b c d New York Times, "Interim U.S. Attorney: 'Street Smart' and Fair"; By DENNIS HEVESI; Published: January 11, 1989
- ^ New York Times; "The Low-Key Style Of Giuliani's Successor"; By WILLIAM GLABERSON; Published: April 1, 1989
- ^ New York Times; "TOPICS OF THE TIMES; Not Italian, but Puerto Rican"; published: March 17, 1987
- ^ New York Times; "Defense Lawyer Picked As Successor to Giuliani"; By WILLIAM GLABERSON; Published: September 7, 1989
- ^ http://www.freshfields.com/people/profile/11/501822
- ^ Benito Romano Appointed to Special NYPD Legal Advisory Committee