A native of Washington, DC., J. Patrick Rowan graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in philosophy, and received his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. He practiced civil litigation with the law firm of Covington & Burling and then joined the United States Attorney’s office in DC, working as an assistant US attorney from 1991 through 2002, specializing in cases of fraud, homicide and police corruption. After the September 11, 2001, terrorism attacks, Rowan served as national anti-terrorism coordinator for the 94 United States Attorney’s Offices. From December 2002 to October 2003, he was detailed to the FBI, where he was Special Counsel in the Office of General Counsel. Rowan then joined the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, providing advice to the Assistant Attorney General on Justice’s counter-terrorism program. Between November 2005 and October 2006, Rowan was an Associate Deputy Attorney General, working as a liaison to the intelligence community and supervising the formation of the National Security Division. His next appointment was to the position of Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Counterterrorism and Counterespionage for the National Security Division, supervising prosecutors in that division. He became Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security on March 31, 2008, and on June 19, 2008, President Bush nominated Rowan to head the National Security Division of DOJ.
