27 Facts About Erica MacDonald

Erica Hinkle MacDonald is an American lawyer who served as the United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota from 2018 to 2021.

Erica MacDonald served as a judge of the District Court for the First Judicial District of the State of Minnesota from 2010 to 2018; as an Assistant United States Attorney from 2000 to 2009; a litigation associate in 2000; and a federal judicial law clerk from 1997 to 1999.

Erica MacDonald's family moved to Texas when she was an infant.

Erica MacDonald was raised in the Dallas, Texas area, the youngest of three girls raised by single mother Evelyn Hinkle.

Erica MacDonald earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame.

Erica MacDonald majored in American Studies with a concentration in business.

Erica MacDonald was a member of the Dean's List from 1986 to 1989.

Erica MacDonald quickly rose up the ranks from an Assistant Buyer in 1989 to being named a Buyer in 1992 at age 25.

Erica MacDonald attended DePaul University College of Law from 1994 to 1997.

Erica MacDonald earned her Juris Doctor in 1997, graduating with top honors.

Erica MacDonald was named to the Order of the Coif.

Erica MacDonald began her legal career as a judicial law clerk to United States District Judge James Alesia of the Northern District of Illinois.

Erica MacDonald served eight years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Minnesota.

From 2000 to 2009, Erica MacDonald served as Assistant United States Attorney in Minneapolis.

Erica MacDonald worked to prosecute crimes against women and children on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, where she helped to establish a family advocacy center.

Erica MacDonald prosecuted Minnesota's first human trafficking cases, "winning some of the longest federal sentences ever delivered in Minnesota".

Erica MacDonald served on the office's management team as Senior Litigation Counsel from 2007 to 2009.

Erica MacDonald was the Office Human Trafficking Point of Contact from 2006 to 2009; chaired the Gerald D Vick Human Trafficking Task Force; and co-chaired the Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force from 2006 to 2009.

Erica MacDonald was elected to a six-year term in 2012.

Erica MacDonald served over eight years as a trial court judge presiding over the full panoply of cases arising in state court, including criminal, civil, family, housing, juvenile and specialty courts.

Erica MacDonald presided over jury trials, bench trials and evidentiary hearings.

Erica MacDonald was a presiding judge in two specialty courts: the Dakota County Adult Drug Court and Juvenile Court.

Erica MacDonald worked to improve courthouse security as co-chair of the Dakota County Court Security Committee and improve operations and efficiencies of the justice system through leadership on the Dakota County Project Steering Committee for National Center for State Courts.

Erica MacDonald worked to train and mentor other judges by serving as a faculty member at the Judicial Trial Skills Program for New Judges; co-chair of and contributing author to the MDJF Judge Handbook; and frequent speaker and presenter at the MDJF Annual Conference of Judges.

In 2016, Erica MacDonald was elected by peers statewide to serve at the Vice President of the Minnesota District Judges Foundation from 2016 to 2018.

Erica MacDonald served in this role until June 5,2018, when she resigned in order to become the US Attorney for the District of Minnesota.

On February 8,2021, Erica MacDonald was asked to resign, along with 55 other Trump-era attorneys.