Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis could be at the center of one of the biggest cases in the country. She's been investigating former President Donald Trump's attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia so he could claim the state's electoral votes.
Born in Inglewood, California in 1971, Willis is the daughter of John C. Floyd III, a founder of the Black Panther political party in Los Angeles. Floyd III would eventually become a criminal defense attorney.
Willis moved to Washington, D.C., when she was in first grade and lived there through her college years. She attended undergrad at Howard University and received her law degree at Emory University.
In her professional career, Willis spent 16 years as a prosecutor in the Fulton County district attorney's office, working on prominent cases like the Atlanta public school cheating scandal in 2014. In that role, she oversaw more than 25 lawyers and worked on cases in all of Fulton County's 15 cities.
Willis took a step away from public service and entered the private sector in 2018, managing her own law firm for two years.
In 2020 she returned to public service, becoming a chief magistrate judge.
Later that same year, Willis successfully ran to become the first female district attorney for Fulton County.
During her time as district attorney, she has made a name for herself prosecuting racketeer-influenced and corrupt organizations cases.
She has used that experience to pursue street gangs as well as the mafia.
David Wolfe, a criminal defense attorney in Georgia, says he believes Willis has the experience to take on Trump.
"She knows what she is doing," Wolfe said. "I've watched her develop over the years. She's a formidable trial lawyer. She knows the law, and she understands how to try a case."
Jay Strubberg
