I had the honor to meeting the former Attorney General during college. I was interested in the law her legacy touched so many in the state of Florida and beyond. I share this in her memory….
According to the United States Department of Justice (2022),
Janet Reno was born on July 21, 1938 in Miami, Florida. She received her A.B. degree from Cornell University in 1960, and her LL.B. degree from Harvard Law School in 1963.
From 1963-1967, Ms. Reno was an associate at Brigham & Brigham. In 1967, she became a partner at Lewis & Reno and remained there until 1971, when she became staff director, Judicial Committee, Florida House of Representatives. In the spring of 1973, she was consultant to the Florida State Senate Criminal Justice Committee for Revision of Florida’s Criminal Code. After working as the administrative assistant to the state attorney, 11th Judicial Circuit, Florida (Miami) from 1973-1976, Ms. Reno rejoined the private sector as a partner at Steel, Hector & Davis in Miami. She remained in that position until 1978, when the Governor of Florida appointed her to serve as the State Attorney in Miami making her the first woman to hold that top prosecutor position. She stayed in that position until 1993, when she was appointed Attorney General by President Clinton.
Ms. Reno was the President of the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association from 1984 to 1985. Additionally, she was a member of the Special Committee on Criminal Justice in a Free Society of the American Bar Association from 1986-1988. In 1992, she was a member of the Task Force on Minorities and the Justice System of the American Bar Association.
Ms. Reno was awarded the Herbert Harley Award, American Judicature Society in 1981. In 1983, she was awarded the Public Administrator of the Year, American Society for Public Administration, South Florida Chapter. She received the Medal of Honor Award, the Florida Bar Association in 1990.
On March 12, 1993, Ms. Reno became the first woman and 78th attorney general. She went on to become the longest serving attorney general in the 20th century.
Ms. Reno died on November 7, 2016.
According to Almendrala (2016),
“The way people experience Parkinson’s disease can be vastly different, and there is no one way the progressive disease typically unfolds. In some people, symptoms can be mild for many years, while others will be hit with severe disability and cognitive impairment early. About one-quarter to one-third of people who are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease will go on to develop dementia, while the same percentage of people will have a mild cognitive impairment. The condition is not fatal ― though of course patients can, like Reno, die from complications related to the illness.
In the face of the unknown, Reno chose to approach her diagnosis by persevering in her mentally vigorous job and committing to outdoor sports. This decision may have played a role in how Reno was able to stave off the worst effects of this neurodegenerative disorder, experts say.”
References
Almendrala, A. (2016). Janet Reno Proved Life Does Not End After A Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosis. Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/janet-reno-shows-that-people-with-parkinsons-disease-can-live-long-productive-lives_n_5820e1f1e4b0d9ce6fbde6ec
United States Department of Justice (2022). Attorney General: Janet Reno. Retrieved from https://www.justice.gov/ag/bio/reno-janet