Meet Letitia James, the New York attorney general who took on Andrew Cuomo, Citibank and multinational companies – and forced former president Donald Trump to pay US$355 million in penalties for fraud
- Letitia ‘Tish’ James, 65, was the first woman of colour to serve as NY AG – and she has not shied away from challenging politicians such as Donald Trump and former New York governor Andrew Cuomo
- The NY AG office has also sued JBS, the biggest meat producer in the world, over its zero-emission claims, and Citibank for failing to protect its customers from scammers and hackers
Letitia “Tish” James, New York attorney general, is not messing around when it comes to taking on powerful political figures and big companies.
Criticised by her enemies for being “vindictive” and applauded by her fans for “doing her job”, per The New York Times, James has earned a reputation for having no fear when it comes to advocating for what is right and for those who don’t have a voice.
At 65 years old, James is no stranger to the law. From the roots of her legal career to her bravery, meet the lawyer breaking barriers in NYC and the world.
Letitia James’ political rise
James is one of eight children, according to The New York Times, and was raised in the city that never sleeps. Per Financial Times, her brother was falsely accused of a crime when she was a child, prompting her to become a lawyer.
“When I looked around the courtroom, all the defendants and all of the individuals – the family members – looked like me. But everyone in a position of power did not. There was something really unbalanced and unfair about that,” she said.
The Howard University Law graduate earned her stripes in the political arena working as a legal aid lawyer and assistant state attorney general in Brooklyn, per CNN, where she is originally from. She began practising law in 1989 and is the 67th attorney general elected to date, according to her profile on Worth Magazine. The Guardian reports that she holds several titles in New York, including public defender, council member and public advocate. She is also a Democrat who graduated with a Juris Doctor, per The Hill.