Lawrence Keefe Takes the Oath of Office as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida

TALLAHASSEE, FLA.-Lawrence Keefe, second from left, is joined by his wife Dr. Lynn Keefe and sons Robert, John, and Patrick, right, as he takes the Oath of Office as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida from Mark Walker, left, Chief United States District Judge on April 12, 2019.

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – This afternoon, U.S. Attorney Lawrence Keefe took the oath of office in an official investiture ceremony, joined by staff from the U.S. Attorney’s Office; federal, state, and local law enforcement agency heads; Congress members; Judiciary members; Florida cabinet members; city and county government members; distinguished guests; and family.

The Honorable Mark E. Walker, Chief United States District Judge, presided over the ceremony.  Three of U.S. Attorney Keefe’s longtime friends, mentors, and colleagues participated in the ceremony.  U.S. Attorney Keefe met Phillip S. Dingle, who gave the invocation, and J. Rex Farrior III, who led the Pledge of Allegiance, in law school at the University of Florida.  Benjamin H. Hill III, who hired U.S. Attorney Keefe after graduation at his Tampa-based law firm, gave the keynote address.

U.S. Attorney Keefe gave a special message to each group present at the investiture about his core beliefs of hard work, integrity, and treating everyone with respect, no matter their station in life.  He quoted from Sir Winston Churchill: “To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents.  What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.”  The full text of U.S. Attorney Keefe’s remarks as drafted are attached, as well as a photo and copy of the program.

As the 41st U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Keefe is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the district, 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.  For more information about U.S. Attorney Keefe’s appointment and experience, click here.

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 available 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.