Barbara Kay Bosserman

Overview

Barbara Bosserman Barbara Kay Bosserman spent 25 years in the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice, where she established herself as one of the nation’s leading experts on civil rights law—trusted across the Department and beyond for her judgment, rigor, and depth of legal knowledge.

Barbara handled two of the Civil Rights Division’s most complex and interesting portfolios: the Cold Case Unit, which investigated lynchings and other racially motivated murders from the Civil Rights Era, and the Legal Research and Filter Team Unit, which provided legal guidance in the Division’s most complex and sensitive matters. Barbara has also shaped civil rights law through her contribution to legislation. During various times in her tenure, Barbara served as the Professional Responsibility Officer (PRO), Policy Counsel, and Training Coordinator for the Criminal Section and as Alternate Deputy Designated Agency Ethics Official (Alternate DDAEO) for the Civil Rights Division.

In 2024, Barbara reviewed the historical record relating to the Tulsa Race Massacre and authored a comprehensive report evaluating the available evidence.
Barbara developed unmatched expertise in the law of Garrity privilege (a legal doctrine particular to government employees) and has also handled large attorney-client privilege reviews.
Barbara received the John Marshall Attorney General’s Award for her role in drafting the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act—landmark legislation that significantly expanded the federal government’s ability to prosecute hate crimes.
She also received the John Doar award, the highest award bestowed by the Civil Rights Division, for the work she did throughout her career.

Colleagues and courts rely on Barbara for her combination of intellect, practical judgment, and principled decision—making.

Litigation & Investigations

Barbara handled some of the Justice Department’s most legally complex and historically significant matters. Previously, she served as an Assistant United States Attorney in New Orleans and a trial prosecutor in the Civil Rights Division.

Barbara’s leadership of the Cold Case Unit required meticulous historical investigation, sensitivity to victims’ families and communities, and careful legal analysis.

Legal Expertise & Advisory Work

Barbara is one of the foremost civil rights law experts in the country. For years, she served as an invaluable resource across the Department of Justice and beyond, providing guidance on novel, complex, and high-impact issues. She now delivers presentations to law students and civil rights firms on the evolution of civil rights law in American history. Barbara’s work reflects a deep respect for the history of civil rights enforcement and a disciplined approach to applying the law.

Education & Bar Admissions

Education
JD, The George Washington University National Law Center, 1991
BA, Franklin and Marshall College, 1987

Clerkship

Hon. Benjamin F. Gibson (Chief Judge), Western District of Michigan
Staff Attorney, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

Bar Admissions
Michigan

Barbara is licensed to practice law in Michigan; she is not admitted to practice in Virginia.

Personal

Barbara composes a daily Substack, “Today in Civil Rights History.” She also enjoys international travel, watching the Pittsburgh Steelers, and toiling away on a novel about the Fourth Crusade.

Barbara at play.