OAG welcomes two lawyers

The Office of the Attorney General announced yesterday the addition of two new assistant attorneys general, Deanna M. Ogo and Benjamin K. Petersburg, who will join the litigation team of the OAG civil division.

“On behalf of the entire office, I welcome Deanna and Benjamin to the team,” said Attorney General Edward Manibusan. “Their admirable skills and years of legal experience will enhance the services of our office as they individually have chosen to become a part of the public sector and aspire to build a better CNMI. I am confident they will serve the people of the Commonwealth to the best of their abilities.”

A native of the CNMI, Ogo began her career as a legal intern for the CNMI Office of the Public Defender before taking on various roles and responsibilities within the CNMI Judiciary. She served as the CNMI Superior Court’s law clerk for two years, and seven years as clerk of court for the CNMI Supreme Court. As a clerk of court, Deanna managed the High Court’s docket and case filings and also served on occasions as acting general counsel for the CNMI Judiciary.

Ogo coordinated the CNMI High School Mock Trial for numerous years and has conducted professional development trainings for the CNMI Judiciary.

Ogo obtained her juris doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2010 and a bachelor of arts in economics and a minor in accounting from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio in 2007. Deanna is admitted to practice law in the CNMI.

Returning to the CNMI Office of the Attorney General, Petersburg worked for the office’s Criminal Division as a prosecutor in 2010 before moving to the CNMI Office of the Public Defender. He joined Berline & Associates, LLC in 2015 as an associate attorney and became a member of the Criminal Justice Act panel in the District Court for the NMI.

Petersburg got started on his law career as a law clerk for Randy Trca Law Firm in Iowa City, and interned in the Criminal Defense and Immigration department of the University of Iowa College of Law Legal Clinic. Before his move to the CNMI, Petersburg worked as a judicial extern in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa under the guidance of U.S. Magistrate Judge Celeste F. Bremer.

Petersburg has sat on the boards of various organizations such as the Commonwealth Development Authority, Northern Marianas Housing Corp., Commonwealth Utilities Corp., and Refaluwasch Golf Association and is a member of the Marianas Young Professionals.

Petersburg obtained his juris doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law and a bachelor of arts degree in English and Philosophy from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.

Petersburg is admitted to practice law in Iowa and the CNMI. (PR)