James Britt Donovan was an American lawyer and Commander in the United States Navy Reserve

United States Navy Reserve

The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...

. A graduate of Harvard Law School

Harvard Law School

Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...

, he helped draft the legislation setting up the Central Intelligence Agency

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...

. He earned public attention as a defense lawyer for a Russian spy leader. He worked as an agent for the Kennedy administration, negotiating deals with Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...

, and with the Russian government for the release of a captured U-2 spy plane pilot, for which he won the Distinguished Intelligence Medal

Distinguished Intelligence Medal

The Distinguished Intelligence Medal is awarded by the Central Intelligence Agency for performance of outstanding services or for achievement of a distinctly exceptional nature in a duty or responsibility.-Notable Recipients:Robert G. Brewster...

.

Donovan was assistant trial counsel in the Nuremberg Trials

Nuremberg Trials

The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....

. He presented at the trial filmed evidence of Nazi abuses against the Jews.

In 1962, Donovan was the Kennedy-backed Democratic candidate for a Senate seat in the state of New York against Jacob Javits.

For the last two years of his life, Donovan was president of New York art school the Pratt Institute

Pratt Institute

Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...

. Donovan died in 1970.

1962 New York State Democratic Ticket

• Governor: Robert Morgenthau
• Lieutenant Governor: John J. Burns
• Comptroller: Arthur Levitt, Sr.
  Arthur Levitt, Sr.
  Arthur Levitt was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He served in the U.S...
  
  
• Attorney General: Edward R. Dudley
  Edward R. Dudley
  Edward Richard Dudley was the first African-American to hold the rank of Ambassador of the United States, serving as Ambassador to Liberia from 1949 to 1953....
  
  
• US Senate: James B. Donovan

James B Donovan was a partner in Watters and Donovan. John Patrick Walsh was his law partner.