Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University Honors Moldova’s Chief Prosecutor, Veronica Dragalin, with the Robert S. Tucker Prize for Prosecutorial Excellence
The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University honored Veronica Dragalin, Chief of the Anticorruption Prosecution Office for the Republic of Moldova, with its 2023 Robert S. Tucker Prize for Prosecutorial Excellence at a ceremony in New York City attended by fellow prosecutors and other members of the legal community. Veronica, a former Assistant United States Attorney, was recognized for her outstanding contributions to the field of criminal prosecution and excellence in prosecutorial practice, and praised for her commitment and courage in leading the fight against corruption in her native country of Moldova.
Veronica is a dual citizen born and raised in the Republic of Moldova and educated in the United States. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Schleifer, a friend and former colleague, introduced Veronica and highlighted her distinguished career. He spoke of her unique journey to find her passion as a successful prosecutor in the U.S.—fulfilling the American dream and now giving all she’s received back into the world for the greater good. “She has gone way above and beyond the call of duty, taking on the role at great risk to her life,” Adam said.
During the presentation of the award, benefactor Robert S. Tucker, CEO of T&M USA, LLC, spoke of the critical importance of the rule of law and of the fundamental principle that “no man is above the law.”
“These words are the compass for all great prosecutors past and present, and especially for the one we are honoring here today,” said Mr. Tucker. “In these fraught times, the role of the prosecutor is more vital than ever. And more than ever it takes courage and resolve to uphold the rule of law.”
Veronica left Moldova at the age of 8, eventually coming to the U.S. as a teenager and receiving an undergraduate degree from Duke University and a JD degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. She spent the first years of her career as an associate at the international law firm, Jones Day. After working as a lawyer on civil litigation and international criminal investigations, in 2016, Veronica became a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles where she worked in the Public Corruption & Civil Rights Section and served as the office’s Hate Crimes Coordinator. Veronica tried ten jury trials as a prosecutor and charged more than 50 cases, including against federal and local law enforcement officers for civil rights violations as well as public officials for bribery and other corruption crimes, including a RICO conspiracy case charging Los Angeles City Councilmembers, a Deputy Mayor, and other public officials and individuals involved in a pay-to-play scheme.
On August 1, 2022, Veronica began her current mandate as the Chief of the Anticorruption Prosecution Office for the Republic of Moldova, taking on the challenging role for a country with a long history of systemic political corruption at an especially turbulent time in the region. Her office of approximately 130 personnel currently handles criminal corruption investigations and prosecutions against high-level officials, including the ex-President, the suspended Prosecutor General, members of parliament, judges, and prosecutors.
Veronica is already making an impact in her new role within a short time. According to Transparency International’s 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) published in January 2023, Moldova’s score has increased by three points, one of the most significant improvements made, placing it at 91 out of 180 countries in the CPI. The CPI ranks countries annually “by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys.”
“Veronica’s impressive career demonstrates her commitment to the pursuit of justice and embodies the values that we aim to instill in our students,” said Dean Horace E. Anderson Jr. “We are thrilled that she joined us in New York to honor her career, and thankful to both her and Adam for also sharing their time as guest lecturers at the law school. They are both truly inspiring examples for our students.”
The Robert S. Tucker Prize for Prosecutorial Excellence is awarded annually to an individual or a group of individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of criminal prosecution and who demonstrate excellence in prosecutorial practice. Honorees are selected each year by a jury comprised of former prosecutors and faculty members from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. The award ceremony brings together prosecutors from across the region and state, civic leaders, members of the judiciary, New York City government and the Haub Law community to recognize these distinguished individuals for their work. The prize is made possible by the generous support of Haub Law alumnus and Pace University Board of Trustees member Robert S. Tucker. Past Award Recipients include Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark and the Office of the Bronx District Attorney, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, former New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood, and Richard A. Brown, the late Queens District Attorney.