Peter Romary
Encyclopedia
Peter Romary is a British
born American attorney, mediator
, arbitrator
and diplomat
living in Greenville, North Carolina
. He is a lawyer, and trainer in the United States
. He is best known for his pro-bono
and humanitarian
work on behalf of victims of domestic violence and other violent crimes as well as for his risk management
work in the government
and higher education
fields.
, United Kingdom
and grew up in Cornwall
where he attended Truro School
. While in school, Romary was an accomplished fencer winning the British Public Schools Epee fencing title and representing England Schools and Great Britain Under-20s. He went on to graduate
with law degrees
from the University of Reading
and from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
.
Romary attributed his becoming a lawyer to his desire to follow in the footsteps of his father, John Romary, a retired solicitor
and judge
in England
.
, a then world record wrongful death
jury verdict
of $525 Million which still stands as the largest wrongful death jury verdict ever returned in North Carolina. The amount of damages was reduced by the trial judge, after the verdict was returned, to $102 Million.
For over 12 years Romary represented, annually, over one hundred victims of domestic violence
, sexual assault
and sexual abuse
on a pro-bono basis. In total he represented over 1200 victims pro-bono.
For his work, Romary has received a number of honors. These included receiving the inaugural "Frank Carrington Champion of Civil Justice Award" from the National Crime Victim's Bar Association. His litigation work led to him being ranked by the National Law Journal , in 2002, as one of the Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40 Years old in the USA and his work on behalf of victims of violence led to him also receiving their Pro Bono Award in the same year. Romary has also received a number of honors from states including being awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine
; the Kentucky Colonel
; the Nebraska Admiral
and Colonel Aide de Camp of New Mexico
. In 2003, he was one of only 52 men from around the world to be recognized for his work on behalf of victims of domestic violence by CNBC
, NASDAQ
and Lifetime Television
in "The Times Square Project". The honor in Times Square made Romary only the second British Citizen to be honored by having their name in lights in Times Square, the first was Winston Churchill
. In 2004 Romary received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor
.
When Romary began working in academe he founded, in 2006, the Annual North Carolina Higher Education Safety Symposium hosted at East Carolina University
. The symposium is a campus safety training event for faculty and staff in institutions of higher education around the USA. Romary also served on the University of North Carolina
Campus Safety Task Force. Among their more contentious recommendations was one calling for criminal background checks for applicants. For his work in higher education safety and risk management, in 2010, Romary was awarded the John L Sanders Award for Student Advocacy by the University of North Carolina Association of Student Governments. This is the highest honor that can be conferred by the Association.
Romary currently works for East Carolina University
as well as "Of Counsel" to the law firm of Tanner and Romary, PA and as a partner in QVerity a risk management, investigations and screening firm founded and staffed by former CIA
personnel.
Romary also continues to lecture around the US and overseas and advise both private and government clients.
Romary is an acknowledged expert in the fields of litigation
, risk analysis in litigation, risk management, threat management detection of deception, interviewing and interrogation
.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
born American attorney, mediator
Mediation
Mediation, as used in law, is a form of alternative dispute resolution , a way of resolving disputes between two or more parties. A third party, the mediator, assists the parties to negotiate their own settlement...
, arbitrator
Arbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
living in Greenville, North Carolina
Greenville, North Carolina
Greenville is the county seat of Pitt County and principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's Tidewater and Coastal Plain and in 2008 was listed as the Tenth Largest City in North Carolina...
. He is a lawyer, and trainer in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He is best known for his pro-bono
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
and humanitarian
Humanitarianism
In its most general form, humanitarianism is an ethic of kindness, benevolence and sympathy extended universally and impartially to all human beings. Humanitarianism has been an evolving concept historically but universality is a common element in its evolution...
work on behalf of victims of domestic violence and other violent crimes as well as for his risk management
Risk management
Risk management is the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities...
work in the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
fields.
Background
Peter Romary was born in LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and grew up in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
where he attended Truro School
Truro School
Truro School is a mixed independent school located in the city of Truro, Cornwall, UK. The current Headmaster is Paul Smith. Deputy Headteachers are Nick Fisher and Anita Firth . Phil Brewer is Assistant Head and Head of Sixth Form...
. While in school, Romary was an accomplished fencer winning the British Public Schools Epee fencing title and representing England Schools and Great Britain Under-20s. He went on to graduate
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
with law degrees
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
from the University of Reading
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
and from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
.
Romary attributed his becoming a lawyer to his desire to follow in the footsteps of his father, John Romary, a retired solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
and judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Career
Romary's legal work most notably included obtaining in 1998 , as sole trial counselCounsel
A counsel or a counselor gives advice, more particularly in legal matters.-U.K. and Ireland:The legal system in England uses the term counsel as an approximate synonym for a barrister-at-law, and may apply it to mean either a single person who pleads a cause, or collectively, the body of barristers...
, a then world record wrongful death
Wrongful death claim
Wrongful death is a claim in common law jurisdictions against a person who can be held liable for a death. The claim is brought in a civil action, usually by close relatives, as enumerated by statute...
jury verdict
Verdict
In law, a verdict is the formal finding of fact made by a jury on matters or questions submitted to the jury by a judge. The term, from the Latin veredictum, literally means "to say the truth" and is derived from Middle English verdit, from Anglo-Norman: a compound of ver and dit In law, a verdict...
of $525 Million which still stands as the largest wrongful death jury verdict ever returned in North Carolina. The amount of damages was reduced by the trial judge, after the verdict was returned, to $102 Million.
For over 12 years Romary represented, annually, over one hundred victims of domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
, sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
and sexual abuse
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
on a pro-bono basis. In total he represented over 1200 victims pro-bono.
For his work, Romary has received a number of honors. These included receiving the inaugural "Frank Carrington Champion of Civil Justice Award" from the National Crime Victim's Bar Association. His litigation work led to him being ranked by the National Law Journal , in 2002, as one of the Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40 Years old in the USA and his work on behalf of victims of violence led to him also receiving their Pro Bono Award in the same year. Romary has also received a number of honors from states including being awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine
Order of the Long Leaf Pine
The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, created in 1965, is an honor that can be granted in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The Longleaf Pine is the official state tree of North Carolina. As of Dec 31, 2006, the Order has been awarded to 6,672 individuals....
; the Kentucky Colonel
Kentucky colonel
Kentucky colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Commissions for Kentucky colonels are given by the Governor and the Secretary of State to individuals in recognition of noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to a community, state or the nation...
; the Nebraska Admiral
Nebraska Admiral
Nebraska Admiral is Nebraska's highest honor, and an honorary title bestowed upon individuals by approval of the Governor of Nebraska, a landlocked U.S. state. It is not a military rank, requires no duties, and carries with it no pay or other compensation...
and Colonel Aide de Camp of New Mexico
Colonel (title)
The honorary title of Colonel is conferred by some states in the United States of America and certain units of the Canadian Forces. The origins of the titular colonelcy can be traced back to colonial and antebellum times when men of the landed gentry were given the title for financing the local...
. In 2003, he was one of only 52 men from around the world to be recognized for his work on behalf of victims of domestic violence by CNBC
CNBC
CNBC is a satellite and cable television business news channel in the U.S., owned and operated by NBCUniversal. The network and its international spinoffs cover business headlines and provide live coverage of financial markets. The combined reach of CNBC and its siblings is 390 million viewers...
, NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
and Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
in "The Times Square Project". The honor in Times Square made Romary only the second British Citizen to be honored by having their name in lights in Times Square, the first was Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
. In 2004 Romary received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor
Ellis Island Medal of Honor
The Ellis Island Medal of Honor was founded by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations and intended to pay homage to the immigrant experience. The medals honor the contribution made to America by immigrants and the legacy they left behind in the successes of their children and grand-children...
.
When Romary began working in academe he founded, in 2006, the Annual North Carolina Higher Education Safety Symposium hosted at East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
. The symposium is a campus safety training event for faculty and staff in institutions of higher education around the USA. Romary also served on the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
Campus Safety Task Force. Among their more contentious recommendations was one calling for criminal background checks for applicants. For his work in higher education safety and risk management, in 2010, Romary was awarded the John L Sanders Award for Student Advocacy by the University of North Carolina Association of Student Governments. This is the highest honor that can be conferred by the Association.
Romary currently works for East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
as well as "Of Counsel" to the law firm of Tanner and Romary, PA and as a partner in QVerity a risk management, investigations and screening firm founded and staffed by former CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
personnel.
Romary also continues to lecture around the US and overseas and advise both private and government clients.
Romary is an acknowledged expert in the fields of litigation
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
, risk analysis in litigation, risk management, threat management detection of deception, interviewing and interrogation
Interrogation
Interrogation is interviewing as commonly employed by officers of the police, military, and Intelligence agencies with the goal of extracting a confession or obtaining information. Subjects of interrogation are often the suspects, victims, or witnesses of a crime...
.