Fani Willis - Audio Biography

Fani Taifa Willis was born on October 27, 1971, in Inglewood, California, to John and Lillian Willis. Her father, John, was a lawyer and a former Black Panther, while her mother, Lillian, was a teacher. Growing up, Willis was exposed to the world of law and social justice from a young age, which would later shape her career path.
Willis attended Westchester High School in Los Angeles before earning a Bachelor's degree in political science and government from Howard University in Washington D.C. in 1993. She then went on to earn her Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law in Atlanta in 1996.
After graduating from law school, Willis began her legal career as a prosecutor in the Fulton County District Attorney's Office in 1997. She quickly gained a reputation as a tough and effective prosecutor, handling a variety of cases including domestic violence, sexual assault, and homicide.
In 2003, Willis left the District Attorney's Office to enter private practice. She joined a small law firm in Atlanta, where she focused on criminal defense and personal injury cases. During her time in private practice, Willis gained valuable experience representing clients on the other side of the courtroom.
In 2012, Willis returned to the Fulton County District Attorney's Office as a deputy district attorney. She was promoted to chief deputy district attorney in 2014, overseeing the office's day-to-day operations and managing a team of over 200 attorneys and staff members.
During her tenure as chief deputy district attorney, Willis played a key role in several high-profile cases. In 2015, she led the prosecution of educators involved in the Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal, resulting in the convictions of 11 educators on racketeering charges. In 2016, she oversaw the prosecution of a police officer who fatally shot Anthony Hill, an unarmed African American man experiencing a mental health crisis. Although the case ended in a mistrial, it highlighted Willis's commitment to holding law enforcement accountable for misconduct.
In 2020, Willis announced her candidacy for Fulton County District Attorney, challenging incumbent Paul Howard in the Democratic primary. Her campaign focused on reforming the criminal justice system, increasing transparency and accountability in the District Attorney's Office, and rebuilding trust between law enforcement and the community. Willis defeated Howard in the primary with 73% of the vote and ran unopposed in the general election.
Since taking office as District Attorney on January 1, 2021, Willis has prioritized several key issues, including implementing criminal justice reform measures, holding police officers accountable for misconduct and excessive use of force, and reducing violent crime in Fulton County.
In June 2021, Willis charged two Atlanta police officers with assault and other crimes related to the arrest of two college students during protests in 2020. The following month, she created a specialized gang prosecution unit to target violent criminal organizations in Fulton County.
Perhaps most notably, in February 2021, Willis opened a criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, including his phone call to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. As of March 2024, the investigation is ongoing, and Willis is considering bringing charges against Trump and his associates.
In her personal life, Willis is divorced and has two daughters. She is actively involved in the Atlanta community and serves on the boards of several organizations, including the Atlanta Women's Foundation, which promotes women's empowerment and economic security, and the Gate City Bar Association, which supports African American lawyers and promotes diversity in the legal profession.
As of March 2024, Fani Willis continues to serve as the District Attorney of Fulton County, Georgia. She has gai