Keith Mack
Kamala Harris is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. She is the first female, first African-American, and first Asian-American US vice president. Harris began her career in law, graduating from the University of California, Hastings College of Law in 1989. She started her law career in the office of the district attorney of Alameda County and later became the first woman District Attorney in San Francisco's history. Harris also served as attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017. With her background in law, Harris' political career has been marked by her advocacy for various legal reforms and her engagement in law enforcement has influenced her approach to policy-making.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Kamala Devi Harris |
| Born | October 20, 1964, Oakland, California |
| Parents | Shyamala Gopalan, Donald J. Harris |
| Education | Howard University, University of California, Hastings College of the Law |
| Degree | Political Science and Economics, Juris Doctor |
| Profession | Attorney, Politician |
| Career | District Attorney, Attorney General of California, U.S. Senator, Vice President |
| Party | Democratic Party |
| Notable Achievements | First female, African-American, and Asian-American Vice President; First Black and South Asian-American U.S. Senator |
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What You'll Learn
Kamala Harris's legal education
Kamala Harris, an American politician and attorney, served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. She is the first female, first African American, and first Asian American US vice president. Harris represented California in the US Senate from 2017 to 2021 and was the attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017. She was also the first woman to serve as District Attorney in San Francisco's history, as well as the first African American and South Asian American woman in California to hold the office.
Harris graduated from Howard University with a degree in political science and economics. She then went on to attend law school at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco (now known as UC Law San Francisco or UC Law SF), where she served as president of its chapter of the Black Law Students Association. She graduated with a Juris Doctor in 1989 and began her law career as a deputy district attorney in Alameda County, California. Harris was described as "an able prosecutor on the way up" during her time in this role.
In 1994, Harris was appointed to the state Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and later to the California Medical Assistance Commission. She went on to hold various prominent positions, including serving as San Francisco's district attorney and the city attorney of San Francisco. UC Law SF has produced many notable alumni, including Alexander Francis Morrison, the co-founder of one of the largest law firms in the US, Morrison Foerster, and Christine la Barraque, the first blind woman licensed to practice law in California.
Harris's legal career and her connection to UC Law SF have been highlighted in the media, particularly during her presidential bid in 2024. The law school's website features her 2005 commencement speech and charts her career trajectory from a local deputy district attorney to California Attorney General, US Senator, and Vice President. Harris's candidacy and subsequent rise to prominence have brought increased recognition and applications to her alma mater, with admissions surging by 33% in 2021.
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Her career in law enforcement
Kamala Harris is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. She is the first female, first African-American, and first Asian-American vice president. Harris represented California in the U.S. Senate from 2017 to 2021 and was the attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017.
Harris began her law career in the office of the district attorney of Alameda County. She was recruited to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office and later became the first woman District Attorney in San Francisco's history, serving from 2004 to 2010. She was also the first African-American woman and South Asian-American woman in California to hold the office. As District Attorney, Harris was known for being "tough on crime" and for her reluctance to release prisoners and anti-truancy policies. She also criticized liberals for their "biases against law enforcement."
In 2010, Harris was elected Attorney General of California, becoming the state's top law enforcement officer. As Attorney General, she oversaw the largest state justice department in the country and took on a variety of cases. She won a $20 billion settlement for Californians whose homes had been foreclosed on and a $1.1 billion settlement for students and veterans who were taken advantage of by a for-profit education company. She also cracked down on transnational gangs involved in smuggling drugs, guns, and people across the U.S.-Mexico border. Additionally, she defended the Affordable Care Act in court and enforced laws to protect public health and the environment.
Harris has been described as a formidable presence in law enforcement, known for her smart, assertive, and ambitious personality. She has also been criticized for her "tough on crime" approach and for not doing enough to address implicit biases and use of force by law enforcement. However, she has acknowledged the importance of building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve and has taken some steps to address these issues.
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Harris's role as District Attorney
Kamala Harris is an American politician and attorney. She served as the District Attorney of San Francisco from 2003/2004 to 2010, becoming the first person of colour and first woman elected to the position. Harris had previously worked in the Alameda County district attorney's office, where she specialised in prosecuting child sexual assault cases.
Harris created a Hate Crimes Unit, focusing on hate crimes against LGBT children and teens in schools, and supported the Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act. She also created an environmental crimes unit in 2005 and expressed support for San Francisco's sanctuary city policy of not inquiring about immigration status in criminal investigations. In 2006, she led a citywide effort to combat truancy for at-risk elementary school youth, declaring chronic truancy a matter of public safety.
One of Harris's trademark efforts as District Attorney was the Back on Track diversion program, which was considered unusual for the mid-2000s. The program was available to people between the ages of 18 and 30 pleading guilty to first-time non-violent drug charges. Participants received job training and community service opportunities and were required to find work or enrol in school. Successful graduates had their guilty pleas dismissed and scrubbed from their records. The program had a re-offense rate of about 10%, compared to 50% for similar populations in the state.
Harris has also been criticised for her actions as District Attorney. She has been accused of being too eager to imprison people for marijuana-related offences, earning her the nickname "Kamala the Cop". A report by Reuters found that her office pursued nearly 2,000 convictions for marijuana-related offences during her time as District Attorney. In addition, a 2008 case in which a man was framed for murder by police officers resulted in a $13 million settlement for the wrongfully convicted man.
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Her work as a deputy district attorney
Kamala Harris has had a long and distinguished legal career. She began her law career in 1989 after graduating with a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. She was hired as a deputy district attorney in Alameda County, California, in 1990, where she was described as "an able prosecutor on the way up". During her time in this role, she specialised in prosecuting child sexual assault cases.
In 1998, Harris was named managing attorney of the Career Criminal Unit of the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, where she prosecuted three-strikes cases and serial felony offenders. She also supervised five other attorneys. In 2000, Harris took a job at San Francisco City Hall, working under city attorney Louise Renne. She ran the Family and Children's Services Division, representing child abuse and neglect cases.
In 2002, Harris ran for district attorney of San Francisco, differentiating herself from her predecessor, Terence Hallinan, by attacking his performance. She won the election with 56% of the vote, becoming the first person of colour elected to this position. She served as San Francisco's top prosecutor until 2010, when she was elected attorney general of California. Harris was the first woman, the first African American, and the first South Asian American to hold this office. She was also the first woman District Attorney in San Francisco's history.
Harris has been praised for her strong commitment to justice and public service. Her career as a criminal prosecutor and later as the state's attorney general is marked by consequential accomplishments. She has also been criticised for being too cautious about wading into hot-button issues and for not following through with her reformist ideas.
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Harris's advocacy for gun control laws
Kamala Harris has a law degree, and before entering politics, she served as the first woman District Attorney in San Francisco's history. She was also the first African American and South Asian American woman in California to hold the office. Later, she became California's attorney general.
Harris has been a vocal supporter of strict gun control measures throughout her political career. During her 2020 presidential campaign, she stated that she would give Congress 100 days to pass reasonable gun safety laws, and if they failed to do so, she would take executive action. This stance was met with criticism from some, who viewed it as an attack on the Second Amendment and a threat to the constitutional right to bear arms.
Harris has consistently supported gun control initiatives, including mandatory gun confiscation or "buyback" programs, as well as opposing "stand your ground" laws, which permit citizens to defend themselves in life-threatening situations. She has also advocated for universal background checks and gun bans on certain types of weapons. As a senator, she co-sponsored legislation to close loopholes that put victims of domestic violence at risk and helped pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which included additional funding for school safety grants and community violence prevention.
As Vice President, Harris has continued her advocacy for gun control. She has helped lead the strongest gun safety administration in American history, taking executive actions to combat gun trafficking and regulate ghost guns and assault weapons. She was appointed by President Biden to oversee the first White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which has been instrumental in responding to incidents of violence and implementing life-saving policies. Harris has been a leader in efforts to expand background checks on gun sales and close loopholes that endanger communities and law enforcement.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Kamala Harris is an attorney and graduated with a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1989. She began her law career in the office of the district attorney of Alameda County.
Kamala Harris served as the District Attorney of San Francisco from 2004 to 2010, and as the first African-American and South Asian-American woman to hold the office. She then served as Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2017 and represented California in the US Senate from 2017 to 2021.
Harris' career in law enforcement helped propel her to higher office. She was known for her advocacy for stricter gun control laws, the DREAM Act, federal legalization of cannabis, and healthcare and taxation reforms.
Kamala Harris attended Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, D.C. She then returned to the Bay Area and graduated from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco.
Yes, 27 out of 45 US presidents were previously lawyers, including Joe Biden. If elected, Kamala Harris would be the second lawyer-president to earn a law degree from a non-T14 law school.
