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Registration opens in mid-May for the 2026 Eradicate Hate Global Summit.

Shirlethia Franklin

Litigator, Jones Day; Former Senior Official, U.S. Department of Justice

Eradicate Hate:
2021

Shirlethia Franklin is an experienced litigator and former senior U.S. Department of Justice official. She litigates complex civil cases and handles disputes involving the federal government.

Prior to joining Jones Day, Franklin was a senior litigation associate in the Atlanta office of a multinational law firm and defended major clients in product liability, mass/toxic tort, and class action matters. She also had a substantial pro bono practice and was honored as a 2012 Volunteer of the Year by the Truancy Intervention Project.

Most recently, Franklin was Deputy Chief of Staff and Counselor to the Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice. In these roles, she counseled two Attorneys General on significant law enforcement issues and high-profile environmental matters — including the $20 billion settlement of civil claims arising from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill — and spearheaded key domestic policy initiatives.  Franklin was frequently called upon to navigate complex relationships throughout the executive branch, giving her unique insight into the inner workings of the federal government.

Franklin was also a member of the 2013-2014 Class of White House Fellows — one of the nation’s most prestigious fellowships for leadership and public service — and previously served on the board of directors for the White House Fellows Foundation and Association.

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The catalytic power of this Summit in bringing together those who are devoting their lives to pushing back and working to confront, understand and work towards solutions around hate in our society is a noble and difficult task. The Summit not only energized those who attended but led to connecting the dots in a global network of those doing this work. The stories of the victims of hate were painful to witness but their courage in coming forward was inspirational. Those who attended left energized with the hope that by working together solutions can be forged.

Robert Rosenthal Board Member, Executive Producer, Acting CEO, The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR)