what kind of lawyer was robert kennedy

by Jayme Johnson IV 7 min read

Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925 – June 6, 1968), also referred to by his initials RFK or by the nickname Bobby, was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 64th United States Attorney General from January 1961 to September 1964, and as a U.S. Senator from New York from January 1965 until his ...

What did Robert Kennedy do as Attorney General?

A graduate of Harvard University and the University of Virginia School of Law, Kennedy was appointed attorney general after his brother John Kennedy was elected president in 1960. In this role, Robert Kennedy fought organized crime and worked for civil rights for African Americans.

Who was Robert Kennedy?

Robert Kennedy was the U.S. attorney general from 1961 to 1964 and a U.S. senator from New York from 1965 to 1968.

How long did it take Robert Kennedy to become a lawyer?

Robert spent the next three years pursuing a law degree at the University of Virginia Law School. During that time he met and married his sister’s roommate, a fellow student named Ethel Skakel. In 1951, the same year he graduated law school, Robert passed the Massachusetts bar exam.

Which law school dedicated the bust of Robert F Kennedy?

^ "U.Va. Law School To Dedicate Bust of Alumnus Robert F. Kennedy". University of Virginia. February 25, 2000. Archived from the original on August 24, 2016. ^ "The Triborough Is Officially the R.F.K. Bridge". The New York Times.

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What did Bobby Kennedy do for civil rights?

President Kennedy defined civil rights as not just a constitutional issue, but also a “moral issue.” He also proposed the Civil Rights Act of 1963, which would provide protection of every American's right to vote under the United States Constitution, end segregation in public facilities, and require public schools to ...

What law firm does Robert F Kennedy Jr work for?

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is co-counsel with Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman in the Gardasil litigation. Kennedy started working with the firm after the mass toxic tort case against SoCalGas stemming from the gas well blowout in Porter Ranch, California.

What is John F Kennedy best known for?

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials as JFK or by the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination near the end of his third year in office.

What were Bobby Kennedy's last words?

After several minutes, medical attendants arrived and lifted Kennedy onto a stretcher, prompting him to whisper, "Don't lift me", which were his last words; he lost consciousness shortly after.

What was JFK's net worth?

List of presidents by peak net worthNameNet worth (millions of 2022 US$)Political partyRichard Nixon20RepublicanRonald Reagan16RepublicanJames K. Polk13DemocraticJohn F. Kennedy10Democratic41 more rows

How did Robert Kennedy get assassinated?

June 6, 1968, PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles, CARobert F. Kennedy / Assassinated

Who did JFK run against?

The 1960 United States presidential election was the 44th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 8, 1960. In a closely contested election, Democratic United States Senator John F. Kennedy defeated the incumbent Vice President Richard Nixon, the Republican Party nominee.

When did Kennedy propose the Civil Rights Act?

June 11, 1963On June 11, 1963, President John F. Kennedy gave a televised address to the American people and announced that he would be sending a civil rights bill to Congress. His bill would become the most-far reaching act of legislation supporting racial equality in American history.

When was the assassination of Robert Kennedy?

June 6, 1968, PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles, CARobert F. Kennedy / Assassinated

What was Kennedy's greatest achievement?

One of his proudest achievements was assembling the evidence that convicted Hoffa. On Kennedy’s departure from the Department of Justice, The New York Times, which had criticized his appointment three years earlier, said editorially, Kennedy, John F.: funeral.

Who is William Manchester?

William Manchester was an American historian who published three popular volumes about President John F. Kennedy: Portrait of a President: John F. Kennedy in Profile (1961), The Death of a...

What did Robert Kennedy do?

senator from New York from 1965 to 1968. A graduate of Harvard University and the University of Virginia School of Law, Kennedy was appointed attorney general after his brother John Kennedy was elected president in 1960. In this role, Robert Kennedy fought organized crime and worked for civil rights for African Americans. In the Senate, he was a committed advocate of the poor and racial minorities , and opposed escalation of the Vietnam War. On June 5, 1968, while in Los Angeles campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, Kennedy was shot. He died early the next day at age 42.

Where was Robert Kennedy born?

Robert Francis Kennedy was born on November 20, 1925, in Brookline, Massachusetts, the seventh of nine children of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., a wealthy financier, and Rose Kennedy, the daughter of a Boston politician. Kennedy spent his childhood between his family’s homes in New York; Hyannis Port, Massachusetts; Palm Beach, Florida; and London, ...

Who was the 64th attorney general?

After John F. Kennedy was elected president in November 1960, he named his brother Robert Kennedy as America’s 64th attorney general. In this role, Kennedy continued to battle corruption in labor unions, as well as mobsters and organized crime. In 1964, Jimmy Hoffa was convicted of jury tampering and fraud.

What was Jimmy Hoffa convicted of?

In 1964, Jimmy Hoffa was convicted of jury tampering and fraud. As attorney general, Kennedy also supported the civil rights movement for African Americans.

Who was Robert Kennedy?

Robert Kennedy was the attorney general of the United States in the administration of his older brother, President John F. Kennedy, and later served as a U.S. senator from New York. He became a candidate for the presidency in 1968, with opposition to the war in Vietnam as his central issue.

What college did Robert Kennedy go to?

As a teenager, Robert Kennedy attended Milton Academy, a prestigious prep school in a Boston suburb, and Harvard College. His education was interrupted when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy shortly after his oldest brother, Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., was killed in action in World War II. He was commissioned a lieutenant in the Navy, but saw no action.

What school did Robert Kennedy attend?

Roosevelt in 1938, the Kennedy children were featured in news stories and even movie newsreels depicting their travels to London. As a teenager, Robert Kennedy attended Milton Academy, a prestigious prep school in a Boston suburb, and Harvard College. ...

Why was the Kennedy decision controversial?

The decision was naturally controversial, as it sparked charges of nepotism. But the new president felt strongly that he needed his brother, who had become his most trusted adviser, in the government. As attorney general of the U.S., Robert Kennedy continued his feud with Jimmy Hoffa.

What happened to Robert Kennedy's brother?

Following his brother's violent death in November 1963, Robert Kennedy went into a period of mourning and sadness. He was still the nation's attorney general, but his heart wasn't in the job, and he was not happy working with the new president, Lyndon B. Johnson .

Where was Robert Kennedy born?

Early Life. Robert Francis Kennedy was born November 20, 1925, in Brookline, Massachusetts. His father, Joseph Kennedy, was a banker and his mother, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, was the daughter of the former mayor of Boston, John F. "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald. Robert was the seventh child in the family, and the third son.

Who was the chief counsel of the Kennedy brothers?

Senator John F. Kennedy served on the committee. With Robert as chief counsel often asking the questions of witnesses in lively hearings, the Kennedy brothers became familiar figures in the news. Jimmy Hoffa gesturing to Robert Kennedy at a Senate hearing.

Who was Robert Kennedy?

Robert Kennedy was attorney general during his brother John F. Kennedy's administration. He later served as a U.S. Senator and was assassinated during his run for the presidency.

What was Robert Kennedy's role in the Civil Rights Movement?

After managing his brother John's presidential campaign, Robert Kennedy was appointed attorney general of the United States in 1960. As attorney general, he fought organized crime and was a key supporter of the Civil Rights Movement. After JFK's assassination, Robert was elected to the U.S. Senate representing the state of New York.

How many siblings did Robert Kennedy have?

Raised as devout Roman Catholics, Robert and his seven siblings enjoyed a life of wealth and privilege. Among Kennedy’s older brothers was future U.S. President John F. Kennedy. When Robert’s father, Joseph Sr., became a U.S. ambassador to Britain, the family moved to England.

Who was Jacqueline Kennedy?

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, noted for her style and elegance, was the wife of President John F. Kennedy and a U.S. first lady. After Kennedy's death, she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.

Who was JFK's closest advisor?

When JFK was elected, Robert was made U.S. attorney general and became one of JFK’s closest cabinet advisors. When JFK was assassinated in 1963, Robert resigned as attorney general the following September and announced his intent to run for a senate seat.

Who was the chief counsel for the Democratic minority?

In 1954 Kennedy joined the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations as chief counsel for the Democratic minority. Kennedy aptly expressed his approach to helping minorities achieve equal rights in a speech to South African students: “Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."

When was Robert Kennedy born?

Born on 20 November 1925 , Robert Kennedy was the seventh of nine children of Joseph Patrick and Rose Kennedy. Despite a mediocre academic performance in high school, Kennedy was admitted to Harvard University in 1944. He joined the Navy during World War II, but was discharged following an injury.

How did the Attorney General Kennedy and the Civil Rights Movement relate?

The relationship between the Attorney General Kennedy and the civil rights movement was tested when King and several hundred protesters were threatened by an angry mob outside of a Montgomery church, where King was holding a mass meeting in support of the Freedom Rides.

Who challenged Robert Kennedy?

Although the Kennedy administration was the first to give substantial attention to the southern freedom struggle, King continuously challenged Robert Kennedy and the Department of Justice to make a greater commitment to civil rights.

What did Robert Kennedy do for the Justice Department?

Robert Kennedy brought to the Justice Department a reputation as a relentless fighter against crime and corruption. As Chief Counsel for the U.S. Senate’s “Rackets” Committee he had direct experience of the influence of organized crime on America’s economy and government.

How old was Robert Kennedy when he became Attorney General?

President Kennedy's appointment of his 35-year-old brother Robert Francis Kennedy as the attorney general of the United States was controversial. According to many, Robert Kennedy, the youngest attorney general since 1814, lacked experience in practicing law. But he silenced the critics by assembling a skilled and dedicated staff, and by promoting innovative and aggressive programs to enforce civil rights, combat organized crime, improve legal access for the poor, and develop new approaches to juvenile delinquency. A display of film footage and personal items of Robert F. Kennedy provide a glimpse into the Attorney General's office. The centerpiece of the exhibit are documents and personal items of Robert Kennedy's placed atop a desk as they would have been on a September day in 1962. Among the items are the his glasses, pens and pencils, his original telephone, bookends, and drawings taped on the wall from his young children.

What is the centerpiece of the Robert Kennedy exhibit?

Kennedy provide a glimpse into the Attorney General's office. The centerpiece of the exhibit are documents and personal items of Robert Kennedy's placed atop a desk as they would have been on a September day in 1962.

What was Robert Kennedy's role in the Cuban missile crisis?

After the Bay of Pigs debacle, Robert Kennedy became an intimate adviser in intelligence matters and major international negotiations. His efforts during the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962 were crucial in shaping a peaceful outcome.

What was Robert Kennedy's role in the Bay of Pigs?

After the Bay of Pigs debacle, Robert Kennedy became an intimate adviser in intelligence matters and major international negotiations.

What were the items that Robert Kennedy had on his wall?

Among the items are the his glasses, pens and pencils, his original telephone, bookends, and drawings taped on the wall from his young children. Robert Kennedy’s influence in the administration extended well beyond law enforcement.

Who presented the Kennedy Tigers?

Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston, MA. Courtesy of Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy. This football was presented to the "Kennedy Tigers" by the Baltimore Colts, a football team that played in the AAFC (1947-49) and 1950 in the NFL. The "Kennedy Tigers" were the Kennedy Family Football team.

A Perfectly Straight Face

THE BECK CASE. This was the younger Kennedy’s earliest triumph. By March 26, 1957, evidence had been collected tending to show that Dave Beck, president of the Teamsters’ Union, had misappropriated some $320,000 of union monies to his personal use. Now Beck was on the stand, and he was pleading the Fifth Amendment.

The Power To Destroy

What if anything is wrong with these two cases, and what is their bearing on the qualifications of a nominee for the office of Attorney General of the United States?

Governments Can Be Wrong

Mr. Kennedy is sensitive to this point, also. This, he says in his book, “is where abuses creep in,” and he instances a glaring one, of the when-did-you-stop-beating-your-wife variety, committed by a Republican member of the committee. Sen. Carl T. Curtis of Nebraska. But Mr.

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Early Life

Washington Career

  • Kennedy joined the criminal division of the U.S. Department of Justice in 1951. In 1952, his older brother, Congressman John F. Kennedy, successfully ran for the U.S. Senate. Robert Kennedy then resigned from the Justice Department. He was hired as a staff attorney for the U.S. Senate committee run by Senator Joseph McCarthy. Kennedy worked for McC...
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Kennedy vs. Jimmy Hoffa

  • At the Rackets Committee, Robert Kennedy focused on investigations of the Teamsters Union, which represented the nation's truck drivers. The union's president, Dave Beck, was widely assumed to be corrupt. When Beck was replaced by Jimmy Hoffa, who was rumored to be deeply associated with organized crime, Robert Kennedy began to target Hoffa. Hoffa had grown up po…
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Attorney General

  • When John F. Kennedy ran for president in 1960, his brother Robert served as his campaign manager. After Kennedy defeated Richard M. Nixon, he began to select his cabinet, and there was talk of picking Robert Kennedy to be the nation's attorney general. The decision was naturally controversial, as it sparked charges of nepotism. But the new president felt strongly that he nee…
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Senator from New York

  • Following his brother's violent death in November 1963, Robert Kennedy went into a period of mourning and sadness. He was still the nation's attorney general, but his heart wasn't in the job, and he was not happy working with the new president, Lyndon B. Johnson. In the summer of 1964, Kennedy began to seriously think of running for a U.S. Senate seat in New York. The Kennedy fa…
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The Anti-War Candidate

  • Another Democratic senator, Eugene McCarthy, had entered the race against President Johnson and nearly beat him in the New Hampshire primary. Kennedy sensed that challenging Johnson was not an impossible quest, and within a week he entered the race. Kennedy's campaign immediately took off. He began attracting large crowds at campaign stops in states holding pri…
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Death

  • After celebrating his victory in a Los Angeles hotel ballroom, Kennedy was shotat close range in the hotel's kitchen in the early hours of June 5, 1968. He was taken to a hospital, where he died of a head wound on June 6, 1968. After a funeral mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, Kennedy's body was taken to Washington, D.C., by train on Saturday, June 8, 1968. In a scene re…
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Sources

  1. Edelman, Peter. "Kennedy, Robert Francis." The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: The 1960s, edited by William L. O'Neill and Kenneth T. Jackson, vol. 1, Charles Scribner's S...
  2. "Robert Francis Kennedy." Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed., vol. 8, Gale, 2004, pp. 508-509.
  1. Edelman, Peter. "Kennedy, Robert Francis." The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: The 1960s, edited by William L. O'Neill and Kenneth T. Jackson, vol. 1, Charles Scribner's S...
  2. "Robert Francis Kennedy." Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed., vol. 8, Gale, 2004, pp. 508-509.
  3. Tye, Larry. Bobby Kennedy: the Making of a Liberal Icon. Random House, 2016.