Rachel Rossi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rachel Rossi
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Rossi in 2022
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| Director of the Office for Access to Justice | |
| Assumed office May 20, 2022 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1983 (age 41–42) San Gabriel Valley, Los Angeles County, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Bethany University (BA) Pepperdine University (JD) |
Rachel Rossi (born 1983) is an American lawyer and government official. She works to make sure everyone has fair access to the justice system. She is the Director of the Office for Access to Justice at the United States Department of Justice.
Before this, Rossi worked as a public defender in Los Angeles County. A public defender is a lawyer who helps people who cannot afford their own legal help. She also advised important lawmakers like Senator Dick Durbin. She was the first former public defender to run for the job of Los Angeles District Attorney. A District Attorney is the main prosecutor for a local government area.
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Early Life and Education
Rachel Rossi grew up in the San Gabriel Valley area of Southern California. She went to Claremont High School. Later, she earned her first college degree from Bethany University. She then earned her law degree from the Pepperdine University School of Law.
Working in Law and Government
After law school, Rachel Rossi worked as a public defender. She helped people in court who needed legal support. This experience taught her a lot about how the justice system works.
Helping Lawmakers with Justice Issues
Later, Rossi became an advisor to Senator Dick Durbin. He was a very important leader in the United States Senate. She helped him with laws about criminal justice. She also worked on important decisions about who should be a judge on the Supreme Court of the United States.
Rossi also advised the United States House Committee on the Judiciary. This is a group of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives. She worked with them on new laws to make the justice system better. She helped create the First Step Act in 2018. This law aimed to help people who had been in prison. It also worked to make prisons safer and fairer.
Running for District Attorney
In 2019, Rachel Rossi decided to run for Los Angeles County District Attorney. She was the first person who had been a public defender to run for this job. She wanted to make changes to the legal system in Los Angeles. She pointed out that many people in prison were from minority groups. She also noted that many had mental health issues. Rossi received many votes but did not win the election.
Working for the U.S. Government
In 2020, Rachel Rossi joined the team helping Joe Biden become President. She helped with the changeover at the United States Department of Justice. In 2021, she became a Deputy Associate Attorney General. This was an important role in the Department of Justice.
On May 20, 2023, President Biden gave her a new job. He appointed her as the Director of the Office for Access to Justice. In this role, she works to make sure that all people, no matter their background, can get fair treatment and help from the justice system.
Awards and Recognition
In 2019, the National Bar Association recognized Rachel Rossi. They named her one of the top 40 lawyers in the United States under the age of 40. She has also been honored as a "Lawyer of Color." This recognition came during a conference held by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
Images for kids
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Rossi in 2022
