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Press Release

Lawrence Keefe Sworn in as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Lawrence “Larry” Keefe, of Shalimar, Florida, took the oath of office this morning from Chief District Judge Mark E. Walker to become the 41st U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.  Mr. Keefe was nominated by President Donald Trump on August 16, 2018, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on January 2, 2019.  Mr. Keefe succeeds Christopher P. Canova, who has served as U.S. Attorney for the district since September 4, 2015, when U.S. Attorney Pamela Cothran Marsh resigned.

U.S. Attorney Keefe said: “It is a privilege to serve as the United States Attorney, and I am deeply grateful to President Trump, Senator Rubio, Senator Nelson, and to all those who supported my nomination and confirmation.  I look forward to working with the dedicated public servants in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the brave women and men of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in the pursuit of justice for the people of North Florida and the nation.  I took an oath today to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and I will do that with every bit of energy, intelligence, and commitment that I can muster.”

As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Keefe is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the Northern District of Florida, which includes Florida’s 23 panhandle counties, from Escambia in the west to Alachua in the east.  The district has offices in Pensacola, Panama City, Tallahassee, and Gainesville.  The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, human trafficking, financial fraud, health care fraud, firearms, and narcotics.  The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.

U.S. Attorney Keefe, a North Florida native, has been a member of the Florida Bar for more than 30 years.  Mr. Keefe is the son of a World War II fighter pilot and a public school librarian aide.  After graduating from Okaloosa County public schools, Mr. Keefe attended the University of Florida on a football scholarship, where he earned both his bachelor’s degree with honors in 1983 and juris doctor in 1986.  Mr. Keefe began his legal career in Tampa, where he tried complex business litigation, construction litigation, and product liability cases, before returning home to Northwest Florida in 1991.  Since that time, he has litigated civil and criminal matters in both federal and state courts, and at the appellate level.  Mr. Keefe has received various recognitions, and articles he has written are featured in law publications, including the Florida Bar Journal.

U.S. Attorney Keefe and his wife Lynn have been married for 30 years.  Lynn has practiced medicine in Northwest Florida for more than two decades and was the first pediatrician to establish a pediatrics practice in Niceville, Florida.  The Keefe family has four adult sons.  Two have careers in public service in the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Air Force, one is an attorney at a Miami law firm, and the youngest is a senior on an athletic scholarship at The Citadel: The Military College of South Carolina.

U.S. Attorney Keefe recognized Mr. Canova for his faithful service to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida and North Florida communities.  Mr. Canova will continue his nearly 18-year career with the U.S. Attorney’s Office as First Assistant U.S. Attorney.

Photos of U.S. Attorney Keefe’s swearing in ceremony are attached.  His primary office will be in Tallahassee.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

Contact

For more information, contact:
Amy Alexander, Public Information Officer
amy.alexander@usdoj.gov

Updated January 9, 2019

Topic
Office and Personnel Updates