Fara Gold is a Special Litigation Counsel and Senior Sex Crimes Counsel for the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and has served there since 2009. Professor Gold travels throughout the country, investigating and prosecuting bias-motivated crimes and law enforcement misconduct cases. In her dual role, Professor Gold mentors and trains attorneys and serves as a national expert in prosecuting civil rights offenses involving sexual misconduct. She has led investigations that have garnered national attention, including the first case prosecuted under the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Professor Gold has received several honors for her work: The Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service (2014) (DOJ’s highest honor) and the Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Contributions by a New Employee (2012); the FBI Director’s Award for Excellence: Distinguished Service in Assisting Victims of Crime (2021); the Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service (2020); and the Assistant Attorney General’s Special Commendation Award for Outstanding Service (2014, 2011). Additionally, Professor Gold has published several articles about investigating and prosecuting sexual misconduct by government actors. She also previously served as an Associate Adjunct Professor at American University’s Washington College of Law.
Prior to joining DOJ, Professor Gold served as an Assistant State Attorney for the Broward County State Attorney’s Office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Professor Gold received her law degree magna cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law, and her undergraduate degree from Emory University as a member of the Emory Scholars’ Program.
