Daniel M. Donovan, Jr. was elected Richmond County District Attorney in November 2003, becoming the first Republican elected District Attorney in New York City in over fifty years. He was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2007 with nearly 70% of the vote, with the endorsement of the Republican, Conservative and Independence parties.
A native Staten Islander, Dan Donovan was educated in local schools and attended St. John’s University where he earned a BA in Criminal Justice. He later attended the Fordham University School of Law as an evening student where he was a member of the Fordham Law Review and earned his JD, with honors, in 1988.
Prior to being elected District Attorney, Dan Donovan served the people of New York for over two decades. District Attorney Donovan began his career as a prosecutor serving eight years under Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau where he prosecuted major narcotics cases throughout the city and served as senior trial counsel. After leaving Morgenthau’s office, Donovan began serving his native Staten Island in 1996 as Chief of Staff to then Borough President Guy V. Molinari. In January 2002, Mr. Donovan was appointed Deputy Borough President, serving under Borough President James P. Molinaro.
In 2008 Dan’s record of service was recognized by his peers as he was elected President of the New York State District Attorney’s association. Additionally, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York awarded its 2006 “Diversity Champion Award” to Donovan for increasing Diversity in the Das office and for raising the office’s standards. Donovan similarly received a Diversity award from the Asian-America Bar Association of New York.