Barbara McQuade

Early life and education

McQuade was born in Detroit, Michigan. She received her undergraduate degree in 1987 from the University of Michigan and her J.D. in 1991 from the University of Michigan Law School.

Career

Before joining the U.S. Attorney's office, McQuade practiced law at the firm of Butzel Long in Detroit and served as a law clerk for Judge Bernard A. Friedman on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

McQuade started her career as an assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Michigan from 1998 until becoming U.S. Attorney in that same district. She was also a professor of law at University of Detroit Mercy School of Law from 2003 to 2009.

McQuade was appointed by President Barack Obama and started her term as U.S. Attorney on January 4, 2010. Upon taking office in January 2010, McQuade restructured the office for the first time in more than 35 years to align attorney resources with the priorities of the district: national security, violent crime, public corruption, civil rights and financial fraud, mortgage fraud, health care fraud, and environmental crimes.

During McQuade's tenure as U.S. Attorney, the office reached convictions in several high-profile cases, including the case of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick on public corruption charges; the conviction and life sentence of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the would-be al-Qaeda bomber behind the 2009 Christmas Day bomb plot to destroy an airplane in flight from the Netherlands to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport; the conviction of a former Michigan Supreme Court justice on bank fraud charges; and the convictions of former employees for stealing trade secrets from Detroit automakers. McQuade also joined with other law enforcement leaders to launch Detroit One, a violence reduction strategy and community partnership.

McQuade served on the Attorney General's Advisory Committee and was the co-chair of the Terrorism and National Security Subcommittee. She also served on subcommittees addressing civil rights and border security.

She was the first woman to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. She served as deputy chief of the National Security Unit, where she prosecuted cases involving terrorism financing, foreign agents, export violations, and threats. During her career as a federal prosecutor, McQuade prosecuted cases involving violent crime, fraud, and racketeering.

She helped expose Detroit-area cancer specialist Farid Fata as the mastermind of one of the largest health care frauds in American history. Fata pleaded guilty to his crimes in 2015 and was sentenced to 45 years in prison.

In 2017, McQuade became a regular contributor to MSNBC, initially commenting primarily on purported scandals related to President Donald Trump, though the range of topics she analyzes has become broader over time. Since 2021, she also co-hosts the #SistersInLaw podcast with Jill Wine-Banks, Joyce Vance and Kimberly Atkins Stohr.

Awards and recognition

McQuade has been recognized by the Detroit Free Press with the Neal Shine Award for Exemplary Regional Leadership, The Detroit News with the Michiganian of the Year Award, Crain's Detroit Business as a Newsmaker of the Year and one of Detroit's Most Influential Women, and the Detroit Branch NAACP and Arab American Civil Rights League with their Tribute to Justice Award.

Publications

McQuade’s book, Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America, was published on February 27, 2024.

References

References

1. [https://books.google.com/books?id=zxQrAQAAMAAJ&q=Barbara+Lynn+McQuade The University of Michigan Law School Alumni Directory (2007)]
2. Hubbell, Martindale. (December 1994). "Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory 1994: Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri (Volume 9)". [[Martindale-Hubbell]].
3. "U.S. attorney McQuade confirms she'll resign as Sessions sweeps clean". Detroit Free Press.
4. "After ouster by Trump, Barbara McQuade takes job at U-M Law School". Detroit Free Press.
5. Lengal, Allan. (October 10, 2023). "Ex-Detroit U.S. Attorney Barb McQuade's New Book: 'Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America'".
6. "Barbara McQuade 'Has Become Something of a Celebrity' Explaining Trump Inquiries".
7. Peterson, Jenna. (2024-06-06). "Why Barbara McQuade is so worried about disinformation". CalMatters.
8. Jankowicz, Nina. (2024-03-27). "Review {{!}} How disinformation fuels violence — and makes our politics worse". Washington Post.
9. [http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20100905/AWARDS/100909946/women-to-watch-barbara-mcquade Crains Detroit Business article on McQuade]
10. (December 15, 2010). "Indictments expose pervasive culture municipal corruption". Detroit Free Press.
11. (February 23, 2021). "Women Legal Trailblazers Launch New Podcast "#SistersInLaw" With Politicon Media". Cision PR Newswire.
12. "Faculty Bio: McQuade, Barbara. Professor from Practice". Michigan Law, [[University of Michigan]].
13. (2024). "Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America". Seven Stories Press.