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Watch recordings of the 2023 Summit today. Sessions | Keynotes

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 effort to eradicate hate requires the active participation of every component of our society, to include governments, the private sector, communities of faith and indeed every aspect of civil society. There is no more urgent task in front of us. The organizers of the Eradicate Hate Global Summit are doing the United States and the world an enormous service by tackling hatred and extremism with a focus on honest dialogue and conversation, genuine learning and practical solutions. This will not happen overnight, but the Pittsburgh community’s leadership in this effort is genuinely inspiring and motivating.

Nick Rasmussen
Nicholas Rasmussen Counterterrorism Coordinator, Department of Homeland Security