Attorney General Eric Holder

Attorney General Eric Holder is a renowned American lawyer who served as the 82nd United States Attorney General under President Barack Obama. Born on January 21, 1951, in The Bronx, New York City, New York, Holder graduated from Columbia University and later earned his law degree from Columbia Law School. He began his career as a law clerk for Judge Leon Higginbotham of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and later worked as a trial attorney in the Public Integrity Section of the United States Department of Justice. Holder's experience also includes working with United States Attorney for the District of Columbia and serving on the United States Sentencing Commission alongside Judge Stephen Breyer and Judge Anthony Kennedy.

● Early Life and Education

Holder's early life was marked by his parents' influence, with his father, Eric Himpton Holder Sr., being an immigrant from Barbados and his mother, Miriam Holder, being from New Jersey. He attended Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan and later graduated from Columbia University in 1973 with a degree in American history. During his time at Columbia University, Holder was involved in the Student Afro-American Society and participated in the Columbia University protests of 1968 alongside Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and Students for a Democratic Society. After graduating, Holder attended Columbia Law School, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree in 1976 and was a member of the Columbia Law Review alongside Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Friedman.

● Career

Before becoming the United States Attorney General, Holder worked as a law clerk for Judge Leon Higginbotham of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and later as a trial attorney in the Public Integrity Section of the United States Department of Justice. He also served as the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1993 to 1997 and was a member of the United States Sentencing Commission from 1989 to 1993. In the private sector, Holder worked as a partner at Covington & Burling alongside Stuart Eizenstat and Howard Shapiro, where he represented clients such as Merck & Co. and Chiquita Brands International. Holder's experience also includes working with United States Senator Ted Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee and serving on the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States alongside Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton.

● Tenure

as Attorney General As the 82nd United States Attorney General, Holder was appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the United States Senate on February 2, 2009. During his tenure, Holder focused on issues such as voting rights, criminal justice reform, and national security. He also oversaw the United States Department of Justice's response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the FBI's investigation into the Boston Marathon bombing. Holder worked closely with FBI Director Robert Mueller and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper to address counterterrorism and cybersecurity concerns. Additionally, Holder was a key figure in the United States Department of Justice's efforts to address police brutality and racial profiling, working with United States Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

● Notable Cases and Initiatives

Holder was involved in several notable cases and initiatives during his tenure as United States Attorney General, including the United States v. Windsor case, which challenged the Defense of Marriage Act and was argued before the Supreme Court of the United States by Roberta Kaplan and Paul Clement. He also oversaw the United States Department of Justice's investigation into the New Orleans Police Department and the Ferguson Police Department, working with United States Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez and United States Assistant Attorney General Karol Mason. Holder launched the Smart on Crime initiative, which aimed to reduce mass incarceration and improve criminal justice reform, and worked with United States Senator Patrick Leahy and United States Senator Rand Paul to pass the Smarter Sentencing Act. Additionally, Holder was a strong supporter of the DREAM Act and worked with United States Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to address immigration reform.

● Post-Attorney General Career

After leaving office on April 27, 2015, Holder returned to Covington & Burling as a partner and has since been involved in various initiatives, including the National Democratic Redistricting Committee and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He has also been a vocal critic of the Trump administration's policies on voting rights and criminal justice reform, and has worked with American Civil Liberties Union and NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund to challenge these policies. Holder has received numerous awards for his work, including the NAACP Spingarn Medal and the American Bar Association Medal, and has been recognized by Harvard University, Yale University, and University of California, Berkeley for his contributions to law and public service.