UM Law alumnus Tom Rooney, JD ’99, was sworn in as the United States Representative for the 16th Congressional District of Florida on Tuesday, January 06, 2009.

Rooney was elected in November to the United States House of Representatives for the 16th Congressional District of Florida, which spans the state from Palm Beach north to Fort Pierce and west to Port Charlotte.  Not since the late Representative Dante Fascell has the University of Miami School of Law been represented in Congress by an alumnus. After garnering nearly all the major newspaper endorsements in the district, Rooney went on to capture over sixty percent of the votes against incumbent Tim Mahoney.  Sworn in to Congress in January, 2009, Rooney’s first act was to co-sponsor the “Stop the Congressional Pay-Raise Act,” which would block the automatic $4,700 pay raise for members of Congress.

Rooney was raised in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and attended Syracuse University and Washington and Jefferson College outside of Pittsburgh where he earned his B.A. in English literature.  After working for Senator Connie Mack in Washington D.C., Rooney returned to Florida to attend the University of Florida where he received his Master’s degree.  From there, he went on to attend the UM School of Law, because he “wanted to put roots down in South Florida.”  Rooney met and married his wife, Tara, while at Law School.

Rooney fondly recalls his classroom experiences at the Law School, especially with Professors Terence Anderson and the late John Hart Ely.  He took Constitutional Law with Professor Ely and noted that he was “a great professor, very challenging, but fair.”  He also specifically remembers Professor Andersen’s deliberate speaking style.
 
After law school, Rooney spent over four years in the United States Army JAG Corps.  Most notably, he served as Special Assistant U.S. Attorney at Fort Hood, Texas, prosecuting all civilian crimes on post.  Rooney successfully prosecuted more than ten cases in just over two years.  He also gained hundreds of convictions during that time. While at Fort Hood, the events of 9-11 occurred, leading Rooney to enter public service.

After his experiences in the Army JAG Corps, Rooney returned to Florida where he went to work as an Assistant Attorney General under Charlie Crist.  While a criminal prosecutor for the Office of Attorney General, Rooney became involved with The Children’s Place at Home Safe, a local charity that each year serves over 300 abused, neglected, and abandoned children.  Because of his work as director of Home Safe, Governor Jeb Bush appointed Rooney to the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County Board of Directors in January 2006. 

When asked to share one piece of advice for current students at the School of Law, Rooney said “to be a good lawyer is the same as being a good lawmaker – you need to understand both sides of complex issues.  That way nothing surprises you.”

posted 15-January-2008