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Patrick Fitzgerald

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Article Genealogy
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Patrick Fitzgerald
NamePatrick Fitzgerald
OfficeUnited States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois
PresidentGeorge W. Bush, Barack Obama
Term start2001
Term end2012
PredecessorScott Lassar
SuccessorGary S. Shapiro
Birth date22 December 1960
Birth placeNew York, New York, U.S.
EducationRegis High School
Alma materAmherst College (BA), Harvard Law School (JD)
SpouseJennifer Letzkus

Patrick Fitzgerald is an American attorney renowned for his lengthy tenure as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and his service as an independent Special Counsel in high-profile national security cases. Appointed by President George W. Bush in 2001, he oversaw numerous significant prosecutions, including those of two successive Illinois governors, and gained a reputation for formidable, non-partisan integrity. His earlier career as an Assistant United States Attorney in New York was marked by leading complex terrorism and organized crime trials, establishing him as a leading federal prosecutor.

Early life and education

Born in New York City, he was raised in the Flatbush neighborhood and attended the prestigious Regis High School in Manhattan. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Mathematics from Amherst College in 1982. He subsequently attended Harvard Law School, where he served as an editor for the Harvard Law Review and graduated with a Juris Doctor in 1985. Following law school, he served as a law clerk for Judge James L. Oakes of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

He began his prosecutorial career in 1988 as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York. Working in the Organized Crime and Terrorism Unit, he prosecuted major cases involving the Sicilian Mafia, including the landmark "Pizza Connection" heroin trafficking case. He later served as the Chief of the Organized Crime-Terrorism Unit, where he led prosecutions against terrorists responsible for the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, securing convictions against members of al-Qaeda such as Wadih el-Hage.

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois

Nominated by President George W. Bush and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate, he assumed the role of United States Attorney in 2001. His tenure was defined by aggressive pursuit of public corruption, leading to the convictions of two Illinois governors: Rod Blagojevich, for attempting to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama, and George Ryan, for racketeering and fraud. Other notable prosecutions included those of media mogul Conrad Black for obstruction of justice and fraud, and the Chicago police officers involved in the Area 2 torture scandal.

Special Counsel investigations

In 2003, Deputy Attorney General James Comey appointed him as Special Counsel to investigate the leak of the identity of CIA officer Valerie Plame. His investigation led to the indictment and conviction of Lewis Libby, the Chief of Staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, for perjury and obstruction of justice. In 2019, he was again appointed Special Counsel by Attorney General William Barr to investigate the handling of the Michael Flynn case by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Later career and private practice

After leaving the Department of Justice in 2012, he joined the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom as a partner. He later moved to the Chicago-based firm Winston & Strawn, where he chairs the firm's Investigations, Compliance, and Defense Practice. In the private sector, he has led internal investigations for major corporations and universities, including serving as the independent investigator for the NFL into the Ray Rice assault incident.

Personal life

He is married to Jennifer Letzkus, a former Assistant United States Attorney, and they have two children. He maintains a residence in Chicago and is known for his intense privacy regarding his family life. An avid runner, he has completed the Boston Marathon on multiple occasions.

Category:American lawyers Category:United States Attorneys for the Northern District of Illinois Category:1960 births Category:Living people