Justice Action Network Applauds Appointment of Rachel Rossi as Director of DOJ Office for Access to Justice

Rossi, a Former Assistant Federal Public Defender, Served on JAN’s COVID-19 Emergency Justice Task Force as a Voice for Bipartisan Justice Reform

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the appointment of Rachel Rossi as Director of the Office for Access to Justice, an office designed to tackle access to justice issues in the criminal and civil justice systems. 

Rossi is a highly experienced criminal defense lawyer and criminal justice policy expert. She will serve as the first Director of the Office for Access to Justice since Attorney General Merrick Garland restored it as a standalone office in October of last year. Long dedicated to bipartisan criminal justice reform solutions, Rossi previously served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and Counsel to Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) on the Senate Judiciary Committee, among other distinguished positions. In 2020, she helped to lead an emergency task force organized by Justice Action Network, which brought state and local leaders together to advise the federal government on how to address COVID-19 in prisons, jails, and the justice system. 

In response to today’s announcement, Inimai Chettiar, Federal Director of Justice Action Network, the country’s largest organization dedicated to bipartisan criminal justice reform at the federal and state levels, issued the following statement:

“We cannot think of anyone more qualified for this critical position than Rachel Rossi. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rachel played a crucial role, working with justice system stakeholders and elected officials from around the country to ensure that justice, public safety, and public health were protected. She has dedicated her career to deploying bipartisan solutions to make the country’s justice system fairer and safer for all, and we look forward to the work Rachel will accomplish on civil justice aid at the helm of this critical office.”