Elle Peterson is the current 9th Circuit Representative for the Law Student Division of the Federal Bar Association. Though currently an Assistant District Attorney with the Dallas District Attorney’s Office, she graduated from the University of San Diego School of Law in May 2024 and is passionate about serving the law students in her home circuit.
Elle’s involvement with the Federal Bar Association began in 2024 during her Judicial Externship with the Honorable M. Margaret McKeown of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Later that year, she represented San Diego at the FBA’s 2024 Capitol Hill Day and Leadership Summit, where she participated in meetings with Congressional offices on key legislative issues and had the honor of meeting U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who was named Honorary Life Fellow of the FBA Foundation.
Her experiences at the Summit fueled her increasing engagement with the FBA, culminating in her second-place finish in The Hon. Constance Baker Motley Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Young Professional Essay Writing Competition. Following this achievement, Elle was appointed to the 2025 Central Organizing Committee for the Hon. Constance Baker Motley event. She is also dedicated to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the legal profession, serving as the Vice Chair of the FBA’s Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee.
Elle has received numerous awards in recognition of her academic excellence and service to the legal community. These honors include the USD School of Law Faculty Honors Scholarship, USD Law Pro Bono Service Recognition with High Distinction, the Congresswoman Lynn Schenk Scholarship, and the Tom Homann LGBTQIA+ Legal Association Foundation Scholarships for both 2022 and 2024. She has also been awarded the San Diego County Bar Association Diversity Fellowship, the Class of 1976 Scholarship, the Michael J. and Deborah J. Rider Scholarship, and the Finch, Thornton & Baird, LLP Build California Scholarship. In addition, Elle has earned the Fall 2022 and Summer 2023 International Study Abroad Scholarships and the Summer 2023 Non-Profit and Public Service Fellowship.
Beyond her academic and professional achievements, Elle is actively involved in community service both in San Diego and beyond. As an alumna of the San Diego Chapter of Kappa Alpha Pi, she is dedicated to advancing pre-law initiatives at UC San Diego and mentoring aspiring law students, ensuring the next generation of legal professionals has the guidance and support they need to succeed.