Trini E. Ross

Trini E. Ross has served as a prosecutor for almost three decades, wherein 26 of those years were spent as a federal prosecutor in the Office of the Western District of New York. On October 11, 2021, Trini E. Ross became the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Official for the Western District of New York, following the resignation of former U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy. She was previously nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on July 26, 2021, and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate by Voice Vote on September 30, 2021. Her commission was subsequently signed by President Joe Biden on October 11, 2021. The United States Attorney Ross is the first black woman to hold the highest position in the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York.

Table of Contents

Educational Background and Bar and Court Admissions
Education
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
Legal Career of Attorney Trini E. Ross
Internship and Clerkship
Private Practice
Legal Career – U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York
10 Most Significant Litigated Matters Handled by Attorney Trini E. Ross
Teaching Background, Academic, and Professional Honors and Awards
Bar Association Memberships
Bar Associations
Memberships
Published Writings by Attorney Trini Ross
Office Jurisdiction
Contact Details
Buffalo Office
Rochester Office
Social Media Profiles of Attorney Trini Ross

Educational Background and Bar and Court Admissions

U.S. Attorney Trini Ross pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in the State University of New York at Fredonia, graduating in May 1988. She then pursued a degree in higher education and attended Rutgers University, earning her Master of Arts degree in May 1990. U.S. Attorney Ross then received her Juris Doctorate from the State University of New York – Buffalo School of Law, graduating Cum Laude in May 1992. She maintains an inactive membership at the Connecticut Bar Association, where she was granted membership in December 1992, and active membership at the New York State Bar Association since January 1993. United States Attorney Ross has an extensive record in the legal field and has been admitted to practice in all of the Connecticut State Courts since January 1992; in all of the New York State Courts since December 1993; in the United States District Courts for the Western District of New York since March 1995; and in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit since June 2000.

Education

State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo School of Law, 1989-1992
Juris Doctor – May 1992
Rutgers University, 1988-1990
Master of Arts – May 1990
SUNY, College at Fredonia, 1984-1988
Bachelor of Arts – May 1988

Bar Admissions

New York State, January 1993
Connecticut, December 1992 (inactive membership)

Court Admissions

United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, June 2000 (membership was not renewed)
United States District Courts, Western District of New York, March 1995
New York State Courts, December 1993
Connecticut State Courts, January 1992

Legal Career of Attorney Trini E. Ross

Internship and Clerkship

During her law school years, U.S. Attorney Trini Ross became a Brenna Student Intern at the Legal Aid Society, Public Defenders Bureau, where she served for about eight months, from September 1991 to May 1992. Following her acquirement of her Juris Doctorate, U.S. Attorney Ross became a part of the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court of New York’s Fourth Division in August 1992. For almost two years, until December 1994, U.S. Attorney Ross worked on appeals of all subject matters within the State Supreme Court of New York that were meant to be heard and decided by the court. Moreover, she was responsible for reading transcripts of cases prior to proceedings, conducting research, writing bench memoranda for the judges, and listening to oral arguments relevant to the case she was assigned to. Occasionally, U.S. Attorney Trini Ross would be tasked to participate in oral consultations with the judges regarding the cases she handles.

Private Practice

Shifting to private practice, Top Federal Prosecutor Ross became a Civil Litigation Associate for the law firm of Hiscock and Barclay, LLC. Until March 1995, U.S. Attorney focused on banking matters for Key Bank and condemnation issues for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority for a little less than a year. In addition, she managed the appeals to be heard by the State Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division, Fourth Department, where she had previously served. On top of these, U.S. Attorney Ross handled cases of surplus money proceedings, managed pro bono projects and cases of personal injury, along with the establishment of a charter school.

Legal Career – U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York

Starting her career as a federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Trini Ross joined the Office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of New York as an Assistant United States Attorney in March 1995. In this capacity, her work as a lawyer in the Office’s Criminal Division consisted largely of the investigations and prosecutions of civil rights violations, white-collar crimes, and tax fraud. Top Federal Prosecutor Ross remained in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York for over two decades, until August 2018, prior to taking a seat as the Director of the Office of Investigations, Legal Division National Science Foundation (NSF) of the Office of Inspector General (OIG). In this position, U.S. Attorney Ross managed the investigation of allegations involving fraud and the waste and abuse of the funding and programs of the National Science Foundation. Furthermore, as the Director, her role was to supervise the investigative attorneys and investigative analysts, provide advice to the federal investigations at the NSF-OIG, as well as prepare legal advice during the course of the investigations. In her almost three years in the Office, U.S. Attorney Ross worked closely with the 16 Attorneys of the Department of Justice subsequent to the acceptance of the referral for criminal prosecution or civil action. When necessary, the Top Federal Prosecutor also collaborated with the Offices of General Counsel of the NSF and NSF-OIG to advise on legal issues in the Office of Investigation and to assist the auditors when deemed necessary.

Between her years serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of New York, Top Federal Prosecutor Trini Ross was temporarily details as an Assistant Counsel in the Office of Professional Responsibility for the United States Department of Justice. For two years, from October 2007 to December 2009, U.S. Attorney Ross conducted investigations of allegations involving misconduct by the attorneys of the Department of Justice, wherein her role was to conduct interviews, review the laws of the jurisdiction where the respondent resides, and write a Report of Investigation. Additionally, U.S. Attorney Ross occasionally answered questions from the Counsel of the Office of Professional Responsibility and/or the Assistant Counsel of the case she was assigned to.

10 Most Significant Litigated Matters Handled by Attorney Trini E. Ross

United States v James Litz (2010)
United States v. Lori Macakanja (2011)
United States v. Lori Macakanja (2011)
United States v Thomas Thompson (2010-2012)
United States v. Michael Whipple (2014-2015)
United States v. Manug No (2013-2014)
United States v. Frank Garcia (2010-2013)
United States v. Wayne Eugene Sivert (2004)
United States v. Valentino Shine, Sr., Jesse Lewis and Brittany Weiland (2016-2018)
United States v. Steven D. Blumhagen, David Trotter and Susan Blumhagen (2003-2006)

Further details regarding the above litigations may be found in the public questionnaire accessible here.

Teaching Background, Academic, and Professional Honors and Awards

Over the course of her legal career, U.S. Attorney Trini Ross remained active in academia as an Adjunct Professor and has taught a number of college and law courses at both state and private institutions, including in the SUNY – College at Brockport, in the Niagara University, in the SUNY – Buffalo School of Law, in the Canisius College, and the Medaille College. Throughout her almost 30 years of working in the legal field, U.S. Attorney Ross has been given numerous academic and professional honors and awards that recognized her exceptional work. Her academic honors include receiving an Arthur O. Eve Scholarship in SUNY Fredonia in 1984, fellowships in the SUNY Fredonia and Rutgers University in 1988, and Buffalo Law School in 1989. She also was granted admission into the Senior Executive Fellows Program in the Harvard Kennedy School in October 2020. U.S. Attorney Ross has previously been granted the Outstanding Community Service Award by the Minority Bar Association in 1989; the Outstanding Service and Innovation in Collection of Restitution and Fines by the U.S. Attorney’s Office – Financial Litigation Unit in 2003; the Federal Bureau of Investigation Certificate Accomplishment by Director Robert S. Mueller, III in 2010; the Distinguished Alumni Award for Public Service by the SUNY Buffalo Law School in 2016; the Team Impact Award by the National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General in 2019; and the Investigation Award for Excellence by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency in 2020. Furthermore, U.S. Attorney Ross was named in the Who’s Who in Law Education in Academic Keys in 2005 and the “Up and Coming Attorney” in Western New York in The Daily Record in 2003.

Senior Executive Fellows Program, Harvard Kennedy School, October 2020
Investigation Award for Excellence, Counsel of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, 2020
Team Impact Award, National Science Foundation Inspector General, 2019
Distinguished Alumni Award for Public Service, SUNY Buffalo Law School, 2016
Values Award Honoree for Openness to Change, Leadership Buffalo, 2016
Prosecutor of the Year, Federal Law Enforcement Association Award, 2015
Women of Influence Award for Public Policy, Buffalo Business First, 2014
Federal Bureau of Investigation Certificate of Accomplishment, Director James B. Comey, 2014
Team Award for Mortgage Fraud Task Force, Federal Executive Board, 2011
Federal Bureau of Investigation Certificate of Accomplishment, Director Robert S. Mueller, III, 2010
Prosecutor of the Year, Federal Law Enforcement Association Award, 2010
Students of Color Distinguished Alumni Award, University at Buffalo School of Law, 2010
Who’s Who in Law Education, Academic Keys, 2005
“Up and Coming Attorney” in Western New York, The Daily Record, 2003
Outstanding Service and Innovation in Collection of Restitution and
Fines, United States Attorney’s Office Financial Litigation Unit, 2003
Department of Sociology Distinguished Alumni Award, SUNY Fredonia, 1997
Student of the Year Award, Minority Bar Association of Western New York, 1990
Under-Represented Minority Fellowship, Buffalo Law School, 1989
Outstanding Community Service Award, Minority Bar Association, 1989
Ralph Bunche Fellowship, Rutgers University, 1988
Sociology Department Student of the Year Award, SUNY Fredonia, 1988
Life member of Alpha Kappa Delta, International Sociology Honor Society, 1988
Arthur O. Eve Scholarship, SUNY Fredonia, 1984

Bar Association Memberships

Outside of her legal career, U.S. Attorney Trini Ross continued with her organizational work, including remaining as a member of the Federal Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the New York State Bar Association. She also continued to be involved as a member of the Board of Directors of the Women’s Bar Association of Western New York from 2010 to 2013; as a member of the Judiciary Committee of the Erie County Bar Association in 2005; and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Minority Bar Association in 2007.

Bar Associations

Character and Fitness Committee, New York State Supreme Court, Fourth Department, 8th Judicial District
Minority Bar Association, Board of Directors (2007)
Recording Secretary (1995 – 1996)
Erie County Bar Association, Judiciary Committee (2005)
Women’s Bar Association of Western New York, Board of Directors (2010 – 2013)
New York State Bar Association
American Bar Association
Federal Bar Association

Memberships

Buffalo City Swim Racers (2013 – 2018)
The Park School of Buffalo (2013 – 2018)Board of Trustees (2015-2018)
Dean’s Advisory Council, University of Buffalo School of Law (2006 – present)
Elmwood Franklin School (2006 – 2012)
Leadership Buffalo (2004)
United Way Combined Federal Campaign Coordinator (2004 – 2006)
University of Buffalo School of Law Alumni Association (1992 – present)
Board of Directors (2003 – 2006)
Gloria Parks Community Center Daycare Center
Parent Council (2000 – 2002)
Small Wonders Daycare Center
Parent Council (1998 – 2000)

Published Writings by Attorney Trini Ross

Two views on minority only scholarships; BUFFALO NEWS; December 29, 1990
Letter to the Editor, Suicides at Niagara Falls, AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Volume 81, No.12, pp. 1677-8, December 1991
Red Tape Binds the Open Arms of One Couple, BUFFALO NEWS, May 21, 1995

Office Jurisdiction

As the presidentially nominated Chief Federal Law Enforcement Official for the Western District of New York, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross is responsible for overseeing and managing the prosecution of all the federal criminal cases brought within the jurisdiction of the 17 counties of Western New York. Apart from this, she is in charge of representing the United States in all civil litigation brought within the Office’s Jurisdiction and collecting debts owed to the United States.