Date of Birth: August 20, 1960
Zodiac Sign: Leo
Biography
Sally Quillian Yates is a prominent American lawyer who served as the Acting United States Attorney General in the final days of the Obama administration and the early days of the Trump administration. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, she grew up in a family with a strong legal background—her father was a judge on the Georgia Court of Appeals and her grandmother was one of the first women admitted to the Georgia Bar. Yates earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Georgia in 1982 and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1986. She began her legal career as an associate at the Atlanta law firm of King & Spalding. In 1989, she joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, where she served in various capacities over the years, including as Assistant U.S. Attorney and First Assistant U.S. Attorney. In 2010, Yates was appointed by President Barack Obama as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. She served in that role until 2015, when she was nominated and confirmed as Deputy Attorney General of the United States. In this capacity, she worked on a range of issues, including criminal justice reform, civil rights, and cybersecurity. Yates gained national attention in January 2017, when she was appointed Acting Attorney General by President Donald Trump. She was dismissed from this role after she instructed the Justice Department not to defend the president’s controversial executive order on immigration, often referred to as the “travel ban.” Since leaving government service, Yates has been involved in various legal and civic activities, including serving as a Distinguished Lecturer at Georgetown University Law Center.
5 Interesting Facts about Sally Yates
1. Yates was the first woman to hold the position of U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.
2. She was the lead prosecutor in the case against Olympic bomber Eric Robert Rudolph.
3. Yates played a crucial role in the investigation and prosecution of Atlanta public school educators involved in a cheating scandal.
4. She was named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2017.
5. After leaving the Justice Department, Yates has been a vocal advocate for the rule of law and judicial independence.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Sally Yates
1. “We are a nation of laws, and we are also a nation of immigrants.”
2. “The defining characteristic of a true leader is the willingness to stand alone.”
3. “The public should never have to wonder whether the Justice Department is acting for political reasons.”
4. “The rule of law is the foundation of our democracy.”
5. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
Sally Yates has an estimated net worth of $8 million at the peak of her career.
Children
Sally Yates has two children, a daughter named Kelley Malone Yates and a son named James Quillian Yates.
Relevant Links
1. [Sally Yates – Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Yates
4. [Sally Yates – Time 100 Profile](https://time.com/collection/2017-time-100/4742714/sally-yates/
