Patrick Lynch for Governor's photostream

Patrick C. Lynch is currently the 72nd Rhode Island Attorney General. First elected to the position in 2002, he works everyday with a group of highly trained, dedicated professionals who are committed to protecting and safeguarding Rhode Islanders.

As Attorney General, Lynch manages one of the largest and most efficient state agencies in Rhode Island Government.

He is one of only three state Attorneys General in the nation responsible for the prosecution of all felonies and misdemeanors in their states.

In his role as criminal prosecutor, Attorney General Lynch has been widely recognized as an aggressive enforcer of the state’s criminal laws while also making them more effective. He was the first in the nation to use new Internet forensic technology to put child pornographers behind bars.

Lynch has championed strengthening the state’s criminal justice system, advancing the rights of victims, and protecting consumers.

Lynch has been a staunch advocate for civil rights and for improving legal protections for our children and seniors.

Under Lynch, legislation was passed to create the first specialized Elder Abuse Unit and he is the first Attorney General in Rhode Island history to appoint a Civil Rights Advocate in his office.

In fact, he is the only Attorney General in Rhode Island history that has brought successful enforcement actions against individuals who have violated the rights of gay citizens and same-sex couples to live without discrimination, intimidation and the fear of physical violence

Today, Rhode Island is leading the nation in protecting victims of domestic violence thanks to the Lindsay Ann Burke Act—a law Lynch helped enact with Lindsay Ann’s parents who lost their daughter far too early in her life. This law has become model legislation for the entire country.

Lynch’s record on protecting Rhode Island’s environment is unmatched. When our coasts were exposed to tankers carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG), Attorney General Lynch stepped in and is credited with redirecting the toxic tankers away from our shores.

Lynch’s leadership on important legal and social issues has earned him the respect of his national peers. He was elected President of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG). Attorney General Lynch’s election marks the first time a Rhode Island Attorney General has been chosen by his national colleagues to serve in NAAG’s top leadership post.

A proud parent of Kelsy, 12, and Graham, 10, Lynch has visited at least one school a week while in office, to speak to kids about making the right choices and to urge against harmful behaviors such as bullying, truancy, gang involvement, and substance abuse.

Lynch received his undergraduate degree in Economics and Political Science from Brown University in 1987. While at Brown he led the basketball team to its first Ivy League Championship and its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. He also studied at Queen's University of Belfast while playing professional basketball in Ireland and taking part in a program called Sports Corps, modeled after the Peace Corps. After returning to the United States, Lynch earned a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in 1992.