Frank A. Rubino, the nationally recognized criminal defense attorney who helped shape some of the most consequential international legal battles of the late 20th century and who once stood atop the podium at the 24 Hours of Daytona has died. He was 80.
Born May 4, 1945, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Rubino built a career defined by range, rigor, and remarkable intensity. A former law enforcement officer and U.S. Secret Service agent, he went on to become one of Miami’s most respected criminal defense lawyers, known for taking on high-stakes federal and international cases with meticulous preparation and an unshakable belief in constitutional protections.
Rubino became internationally known as lead trial counsel in United States v. Manuel Noriega, representing the former Panamanian leader following the U.S. invasion of Panama. The 1991 federal trial in Miami placed the city at the center of global attention and raised unprecedented legal questions involving sovereignty, extradition, prisoner-of-war status, and the reach of American courts. The case remains one of the most significant international criminal proceedings of its time…