Career Timeline of Letitia James: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Letitia James built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Letitia Ann James is an American lawyer and politician currently serving as the Attorney General of New York since 2019. As a member of the Democratic Party, she made history as the first African American woman to be elected to this position. She succeeded Barbara Underwood after winning the 2018 election. Her career is notable for breaking barriers and achieving significant milestones in New York's political landscape.
1989: Admitted to Practice Law in NY
In 1989, Letitia James was admitted to practice law in New York State.
1999: Appointed Assistant Attorney General
In 1999, Letitia James was appointed the first Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Brooklyn regional office.
November 2001: First Run for 35th Council District
In November 2001, Letitia James ran for the 35th Council district and lost to James E. Davis.
November 4, 2003: Elected to City Council
On November 4, 2003, Letitia James won the election for the 35th Council district seat as the Working Families Party nominee.
November 8, 2005: Re-elected to City Council
On November 8, 2005, Letitia James was re-elected on the Democratic line with 88.11% of the vote.
2008: Advocated Against Bloomberg's Third Term
In 2008, Letitia James advocated against Mayor Michael Bloomberg's attempts to seek a third term without a voter referendum.
September 2009: Won Democratic Primary
In September 2009, Letitia James won the Democratic primary against her opponents and went on to win re-election for a second term.
2011: Questioned CityTime Cost Overruns
In 2011, Letitia James questioned cost overruns and irregularities in the CityTime payroll system.
October 1, 2013: Won Runoff Election for Public Advocate
On October 1, 2013, Letitia James won the runoff election against Daniel Squadron, becoming the party's nominee for the city's elected watchdog position in November.
June 2016: Pressured Financial Institutions on Gun Manufacturing
In June 2016, Letitia James attempted to pressure financial institutions into ending financial services to gun manufacturers.
2017: Won Democratic Primary for Public Advocate
In 2017, Letitia James won the Democratic primary for her position with 77% of the vote.
May 2018: Declared Candidacy for Attorney General
In May 2018, Letitia James declared her candidacy for Attorney General of New York.
September 13, 2018: Won Democratic Primary for Attorney General
On September 13, 2018, Letitia James won the Democratic primary for Attorney General with 40.6% of the vote.
November 6, 2018: Elected Attorney General
On November 6, 2018, Letitia James was elected Attorney General, becoming the first woman and African American to be elected as attorney general in New York.
January 1, 2019: Sworn in as Attorney General
On January 1, 2019, Letitia James was sworn in as Attorney General of New York.
September 2019: Filed Suit Against All Faiths Cemetery
In September 2019, Letitia James filed suit against the officials of Queens's All Faiths Cemetery, alleging financial misconduct.
March 2020: Began Investigation into Nursing Home Neglect
In early March 2020, the attorney general's office began to preliminarily investigate allegations of COVID-19-related neglect of residents in nursing homes.
January 28, 2021: Released Report on Nursing Home Deaths
On January 28, 2021, Letitia James's office released a report concluding that the Department of Health under-counted nursing home deaths by up to 50 percent.
October 29, 2021: Announced Candidacy for Governor
On October 29, 2021, Letitia James stated her intention to run for the office of Governor of New York in the 2022 Democratic primary.
November 8, 2022: Reelected Attorney General
On November 8, 2022, Letitia James was reelected Attorney General, defeating Republican Michael Henry in the general election.
May 4, 2023: Investigating NFL Employment Practices
On May 4, 2023, Letitia James and her California counterpart Rob Bonta announced they would jointly investigate the National Football League over employment practices.
