Meet the U.S. Attorney

United States Attorney Tessa M Gorman

Tessa M. Gorman has served as a dynamic leader in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for more than a decade, serving as a Unit Supervisor (2010-13), Criminal Chief (2013-19), First Assistant U.S. Attorney (2019-21 and 21-23) as well as Acting U.S. Attorney (2021).  Ms. Gorman has deep roots in the Department of Justice, having been selected for the prestigious Washington, D.C. based Honors Program in 1998.  During her more than twenty years of service in the Department of Justice, Ms. Gorman has been involved in the full spectrum of cases in the office, from civil rights enforcement, combatting fraud on public programs, and complex financial crimes and cybercrimes, to the prosecution of hate crimes, violent gangs, human trafficking rings, and drug cartels.  U.S. Attorney Gorman spent many years working in Indian Country, one of the highlights of her career.

Ms. Gorman has been deeply involved in the office’s crime prevention and reentry work.  She is a Past President of the Federal Bar Association of the Western District of Washington, served as a Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representative, and is a member of the William L. Dwyer Inn of Court.  She has taught Trial Advocacy and served as a professional mentor at the University of Washington School of Law.

A Washington State native, Ms. Gorman is a graduate of Yale College, where she was a four-year member of the Varsity Track & Field Team.  She received her law degree from Berkeley Law at the University of California.  Upon graduating from law school, Ms. Gorman served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Douglas P. Woodlock, United States District Judge for the District of Massachusetts.