In honor of National Black History Month, The Elder Law Center of Kirson & Fuller is proud to feature African Americans that have impacted the nation through jurisprudence. 

Born in 1951 in Bronx, New York, Holder attended Columbia College for his undergraduate degree and Columbia Law School for his JD. During his university years, Holder was a law clerk for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the criminal Division of the Department of Justice.

After graduating in 1976, he joined the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. as part of the Attorney General’s Honor Program. Assigned to the newly-established Public Integrity Section to investigate and prosecute official corruption at local, state and federal levels.

Nominated by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to become an Associate Judge of the Supreme Court until 1993, when he was appointed by President Bill Clinton as US Attorney for the District of Columbia. Four years later, Holder earned the title of the first African-American Deputy Attorney General. In 2008, President Barack Obama announces intentions to nominate Holder, being sworn in as the first African-American Attorney General, by Vice-President Joe Biden in February of 2009.

After six years of service, Holder returned to private practice as litigation partner at Covington & Burling, in Washington, D.C. where he is currently still working.