| Gilbert Joseph Birnbrich | |
| Office: | 23rd Attorney General of the Northern Mariana Islands |
| Nominator: | Eulogio “Eloy” Songao Inos |
| Term Start: | July 6, 2014 (acting until September 24) |
| Term End: | January 12, 2015 |
| Preceded: | Joey Patrick San Nicolas |
| Succeeded: | Edward Eladio Manibusan |
| Birth Date: | 27 March 1970 |
| Profession: | Lawyer |
Gilbert Joseph Birnbrich ([1]) was the Attorney General of the Northern Mariana Islands from 2014 to 2015.
Birnbrich is a native of Columbus, Ohio. He studied law in Ohio, before moving to the Northern Mariana Islands in 2003. He served as a clerk for Judge Alex Munson in the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands from 2003 to 2006, before working in private practice for attorney Colin Thompson.[2] In February 2010 he joined the CNMI Office of the Attorney General,[3] becoming Chief of the Civil Division in May 2011.[2] On December 30, 2013, he was appointed Deputy Attorney General.[3] While at the OAG Birnbrich was a witness in the criminal trial of his former boss, ex-Attorney General Edward Buckingham, over the events culminating on Saturday, August 4, 2012.[4]
When Attorney General Joey San Nicolas resigned to run for Mayor of Tinian, effective July 5, 2014,[5] Birnbrich became the acting Attorney General.[6] He was then appointed to the post in his own right by Governor Eloy Inos, and confirmed by the Senate in September 2014.[7] Birnbrich was the last Attorney General appointed by a governor before the position became an elected office, as of the 2014 elections.[8]