Robert (Bob) Bishop Fiske Jr., a longtime member of NAFUSA and respected trial lawyer, died on December 4, 2025, at his home in Darien, Connecticut. He was 94.
Fiske served as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (1976 –
1980) and later became the first prosecutor appointed to investigate the Whitewater
matter. During his long legal career, he was also known for his success as a white collar
defense counsel.

Fiske’s career spanned public service and private practice at the highest levels of the
American legal profession. Known for his composure, independence, and courtroom
skill, he earned a reputation as a prosecutor who pursued difficult cases with discipline
and fairness.

Fiske graduated from Yale University and the University of Michigan Law School. He
began his legal career at Davis Polk & Wardwell in 1955 before joining the United
States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York as an Assistant U.S.
Attorney from 1957 to 1961. He returned to that firm between holding positions with the
federal government.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford appointed Fiske as U.S. Attorney for the Southern
District of New York. In that role, he personally tried major organized crime, drug
trafficking, and corruption cases. He also became a mentor and close friend to Elkan
Abramowitz, his criminal division chief, and to Mary Jo White, a future U.S. Attorney
who had worked under him. White praised both his legal skill and his clear sense of
“what the right thing to do is.” Fiske served as Chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory
Committee during his tenure as U.S. Attorney.

Among Fiske’s best-known victories was the prosecution of Harlem drug trafficker Nicky
Barnes, widely known as “Mr. Untouchable,” whose conviction followed earlier failed
efforts to hold him accountable. Fiske also helped secure convictions in other prominent
organized crime and corruption matters, reinforcing his reputation as a meticulous and
determined courtroom lawyer.

In 1994, Attorney General Janet Reno appointed Fiske special prosecutor to examine
matters connected to Whitewater, the failed Arkansas land venture involving Bill and
Hillary Clinton before Bill Clinton became president. Although his tenure in that role was
brief, his appointment drew praise across party lines because of his reputation for
integrity and nonpartisanship.