EXPERIENCE

Since her return to private practice in 2019, Loretta has helped lead several of the most sensitive investigations and reputation-threatening litigation and regulatory enforcement matters in recent years. BlackRock retained Loretta to help lead an internal investigation into former staffers’ allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination. She has also recently co-led representations of Syracuse University in an independent review of its Department of Public Safety’s handling of bias-related incidents raised by students during the 2019/2020 academic year; North Carolina State University in an NCAA investigation concerning money and other benefits allegedly offered to a former student-athlete in violation of NCAA regulations; and a Fortune 50 energy company in an internal investigation regarding discrimination and retaliation claims. Loretta is currently representing the McDonald’s Corporation in three high-profile racial discrimination lawsuits. She also counsels a number of prominent companies on ESG-related matters.

Loretta is also frequently retained for high-profile public advisory roles. She was appointed as a Special Advisor to the N.Y. Attorney General’s Office as part of its investigation into issues arising out of the conduct of New York City police officers during protests related to the death of George Floyd; and by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to mediate a dispute between the Federal Defenders of New York and the Federal Bureau of Prisons concerning issues of attorney access to their incarcerated clients during the COVID-19-related suspension of in-person visits at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Loretta served as U.S. Attorney General from 2015 to 2017, becoming the first African-American woman to hold this office. In that role, she oversaw more than 100,000 employees across numerous agencies and offices, including the 93 U.S. Attorneys; major investigative agencies, including the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Bureau of Prisons; the National Security Division; and the Office of the Solicitor General, among others. She also supervised the DOJ’s major litigating divisions, including Antitrust, Civil, Civil Rights, Criminal, Environment and Natural Resources, and Tax.

Loretta served under Presidents Obama and Clinton in a number of senior roles for over 15 years, including three Senate-confirmed roles.

• Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice (2015-2017)
• U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of New York (1999-2002, 2010-2015)
• Chief Assistant to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York (1998–99)
• Chief, Long Island Division, United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York (1994-1998)
• Deputy Chief, General Crimes Section, United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York (1992-1993)
• Assistant U.S. Attorney, United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York (1990-1992)

Loretta has been recognized as a “Distinguished Leader” by the New York Law Journal and has been named one of Benchmark Litigation’s “Top 250 Women in Litigation” and a “General Litigation Trailblazer” by the National Law Journal. She has been recognized as a Band 1 practitioner by Chambers in the Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (New York) and Crisis Management categories.

Loretta received her J.D. and her B.A. in American Literature from Harvard University.