May 28, 2009 8:35 am US/Eastern
FIU Law School Hires High-Profile US Attorney
R. Alexander Acosta Will Step Down June 5
He'll Take Over As FIU Law Dean July 1
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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R. Alexander Acosta
The United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Florida
South Florida's top federal prosecutor can add a new job title to his resume. U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta has been named dean of Florida International University's law school.
Acosta will step down from fighting crime in order to take the position.
Acosta, 40, has presided over one of the nation's largest and busiest federal prosecutor's office since 2005. His office convicted corrupt Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Al Qaeda operative Jose Padilla. In addition, his office also convicted brothers Miguel and Gilberto Rodriguez Orijuela on charges of running Colombia's notorious Cali cocaine cartel and the son of former Liberian President Charles Taylor in the first use of a U.S. anti-torture law.
Acosta will step down June 5 and take over as FIU law dean July 1.
President Barack Obama is expected to replace Acosta, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, within the next several months.
FIU President Modesto A. Maidique said Acosta's credentials would take the law school, which has only been open since 2002, to the next level.
"His connections at the national and local level and his proven leadership here at home will inspire the next generation of law students at FIU," Maidique said.
Acosta, a Cuban-American, said he intends to make the law school one of the most respected in the country.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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