Who is Fani Willis? The Georgia district attorney in the spotlight as she prosecutes Trump

Nearly a decade ago, Judge Jerry Baxter oversaw the prosecution that first thrust Georgia's Fani Willis into the spotlight — a massive scandal involving cheating by teachers in Atlanta's public schools.

«I would hate to have Fani Willis after me,» Baxter told ABC News. «She is a superb trial lawyer and the real deal.»

Now, many more eyes are watching the Fulton County district attorney as she prosecutes former President Donald Trump and his allies over their alleged efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia. (Trump has denied all wrongdoing.)

And in a new twist, millions have now seen her combative, blunt style displayed live on national television as she testified about allegations of misconduct.

Trump and his co-defendants are trying to have Willis disqualified over accusations she financially benefited from a romantic relationship with a prosecutor she hired for the case — claims she has vigorously denied.

Willis has said she knew since she was young and accompanied her father, a former Black Panther and defense attorney, to court that she wanted to be a lawyer.

She received her undergraduate degree at Howard University and a law degree from Emory University in Georgia.

In 2001 she became an assistant district attorney in Fulton County, which encompasses much of Atlanta. She worked there for 16 years, handling homicide, sexual assault and other major cases.

«She was able to make it look easy,» said attorney Clint Rucker, a former colleague. «Her reputation was developed as a very good litigator while presenting these complex murder cases because of her courtroom demeanor, her style. She's very dogged. She's very aggressive.»

Rucker said that despite her small stature, Willis had a voice that compelled people.

Arguab