Meet Fani Willis, the first Black woman to manage Georgia’s largest district attorney’s office. She has over 19 years of experience as an attorney, having led over 100 jury trials and handled hundreds of murder cases.
She was elected district attorney for Fulton County in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2021, defeating the current 6-term Fulton DA, Paul Howard.
Fani’s father, a former Black Panther and criminal defense lawyer based in Washington, D.C., inspired her to pursue a legal career. According to the New York Times, Willis was frequently brought to the courthouse by her father and assigned to work as his file clerk beginning in elementary school. It is unsurprising that she would grow up to become a lawyer.
She attended and graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1992, and Emory University School of Law in 1996.
Fani, whose name means “prosperous” in Swahili, began her legal career in the private sector. She represented thousands of residents of her community in criminal justice, juvenile cases, and civil problems, according to her profile.
In 2001, after five years of practice, she accepted an offer to serve as Fulton County’s assistant district attorney. In accordance with her desire to help, she established The Offices of Fani T. Willis, LLC, in Atlanta. She was one of the few African-Americans in Georgia who served in the Judicial Qualification Division. In this position, she prosecuted unethical judicial actions.
She ran against her former employer Howard, claiming that the District Attorney’s Office in Fulton County was “broken” under his rule.
“From being a very, very little girl until I sit here today, there was never anything I’ve ever wanted to do but practice law or sit on the bench,” she said. “I always wanted to be the district attorney, but I wouldn’t run against the current DA…” The cries became increasingly louder. I just took a leap of faith and did what God had asked me to do.”
Aside from practicing law, Willis has another passion: her non-profit organization, Love for Carla. Willis’ friend was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia, therefore the organization focuses on increasing awareness about the disease.
In recent days, she has been in the spotlight for her sexual involvement with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, with whom she is working on the Georgia election case against Donald Trump and 14 others.
“In 2022, District Attorney Willis and I developed a personal relationship in addition to our professional association and friendship,” Wade wrote in an affidavit attached to a 176-page motion filed by Willis, according to The Guardian. Willis stated that the relationship began after Wade was employed and that moves to exclude her were “meritless”.