Earl J. Silbert

Earl Judah Silbert (March 8, 1936 – September 6, 2022) was an American lawyer who served as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1974 to 1979. He was the first prosecutor in the Watergate scandal, alongside two other U.S. Attorneys.

Early life Silbert was born in Boston on March 8, 1936. His father was a lawyer and a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the Republican Party; his mother was a housewife and social worker. Silbert attended Phillips Exeter Academy, graduating in 1953. He then studied history at Harvard University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1957, before obtaining a Juris Doctor degree three years later from Harvard Law School.

Career After graduating from law school, Silbert first worked at the United States Department of Justice (Tax Division) from 1960.

Silbert later represented Michael Abbell, a former U.S. Justice Department prosecutor who then became a defense attorney for Colombia's notorious Cali cartel and who was eventually sentenced to five years in prison for his involvement in drug trafficking. He also represented former Enron chairman Kenneth Lay.

Personal life Silbert was married to Patricia Allott for 52 years until his death. Together, they had two daughters: Sarah and Leslie, who is a novelist.

Silbert died on September 6, 2022, at a hospital in Keene, New Hampshire. He was 86, and suffered from an aortic dissection prior to his death.

Awards In 2009, the Council for Court Excellence Justice Potter Stewart Award was presented to Silbert for his work to improve the judicial system, both as a United States Attorney and subsequently in private practice.