Batista, Paul A. 1948-

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Batista, Paul A. 1948-

PERSONAL: Born December 9, 1948, in Milford, MA. Education: Bowdoin College, A.B., 1970 (magna cum laude); Cornell University, J.D., 1974.

ADDRESSES: Office— Paul A. Batista Law Firm, 26 Broadway, Ste. 1900, New York, NY 10004.

CAREER: Lawyer. Works as a criminal litigator in New York, NY. Guest commentator, Court TV, 1996—.

WRITINGS

Civil RICO Practice Manual, Wiley Law Publications (New York, NY), 1987, 2nd edition, 1997.

Death’s Witness (crime novel), Sourcebooks Landmark (Naperville, IL), 2006.

Contributor to periodicals, including the New York Times, Securities Regulation Law Journal, Wall Street Journal, National Law Journal, New York Law Journal, and Delaware Journal of Corporate Law.

SIDELIGHTS: A criminal attorney based in New York City, Paul A. Batista knew what he was writing about when he penned his debut crime thriller, Death’s Witness. The story involves police corruption, money laundering, fraud, and, of course, murder. Julie Perini finds herself a widow when her lawyer husband, Tom, is shot while jogging in Central Park. He had been defending accused mobster Sy Klein at the time, and so foul play is naturally suspected. Julie has no training as a detective, but when she decides to return to her former career as a journalist, she initiates her own investigation. Little does she know that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent she has been consulting for help is the man who put out the hit on Tom, and as she digs deeper, Julie becomes the next target in a novel Mary Ann Smyth called “a thriller that is not to be missed” in her BookLoons review. A Kirkus Reviews critic had some reservations, remarking: “With the exception of some engrossing scenes of complex legal maneuvering, Batista’s fiction debut is fairly ordinary and predictable.” Other reviewers were more impressed, however. Although a Publishers Weekly contributor felt the story’s conclusion was wrapped up a little too neatly, the critic concluded that the author is “guilty of delivering not only sharp courtroom drama but steamy romantic escapism as well,” and Bruce Tierney, writing on BookPage, declared Death’s Witness to be “an outstanding debut novel.”