Fara Gold is a nationally recognized federal and state prosecutor, having served the U.S. Department of Justice for 16 years of her career. There, she prosecuted hate crimes and law enforcement misconduct throughout the country, with national expertise in handling law-enforcement-committed sex crimes. While in law school, she was a Miami Scholar, served as president of Miami Law Women, and was a member of Iron Arrow, Society of Bar and Gavel, the Charles C. Papy, Jr. Moot Court Board, and Honor Council, and graduated magna cum laude. Throughout her career, Gold was honored with several DOJ, FBI, and OIG awards. She served as an adjunct law professor at Georgetown and will similarly serve at NYU this fall. Gold recently moved from the U.S. Department of Justice to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.
What aspects of the curriculum or faculty had the most significant impact on your legal education and career trajectory?
I entered law school, knowing that I wanted to be a prosecutor because in its simplest form I wanted to treat victims with humanity throughout a process that can be devoid of it. But much like today, even almost 25 years ago, the notion of prosecution as public service was often met with skepticism. Yet my coursework, interactions with faculty, and my internship at a state prosecutor solidified my resolve that I was on the right track. Beginning in law school, I began to truly appreciate the power that prosecutors have, how to wield that power with principle and care, and the import of upholding the Constitutional oath and protecting the Constitutional rights of others.
How did your education at the University of Miami School of Law prepare you for your career?
Classes like evidence, criminal procedure, and litigation skills directly correlate to my career. The overall experience of attending a school that supported public interest work played an integral role in my career path.
What opportunities or connections did you gain at the law school, and how did they influence your career?
I am lucky to have made so many great friends and mentors during law school, many of whom I still speak to regularly. They have been a constant source of support and affirmation throughout my career. I am particularly grateful for their encouragement in the recent months as I navigated the difficult decision to leave the U.S. Department of Justice, an institution I revered, and return to state government.
