Tracy Leigh Ford

Tracy Ford graduated magna cum laude from the South Carolina Honors College at the University of South Carolina (Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and French, 2005), and from Columbia University School of Law in 2008. While in law school, Ms. Ford spent a summer in Nairobi, Kenya, working on women’s human rights issues. She discovered her passion for litigation while participating in an externship at the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, and worked with juveniles accused of crimes during an internship at the Palm Beach County Public Defender’s Office in West Palm Beach, Florida.

After law school, Ms. Ford returned to Florida and started her career at the Palm Beach County Public Defender’s Office. In her nearly eight years of practice in Florida, Ms. Ford gained extensive first-chair jury trial experience, conducted and defended depositions, and worked with social workers, law enforcement, and prosecutors to achieve favorable outcomes for her clients. In 2017, Ms. Ford relocated to Northern Virginia, where she continued litigating criminal cases on behalf of indigent clients at the Office of the Public Defender in Alexandria, Virginia. After leaving the Public Defender’s Office for private practice, Ms. Ford continues to represent indigent defendants facing criminal charges through the court-appointed attorney program in Alexandria.

Through over 11 years of practice, Ms. Ford has vigorously defended her clients inside and outside the courtroom by leading complex criminal defense investigations, working closely with forensic experts and medical personnel, and skillfully negotiating on behalf of her clients. She has properly defended cases ranging from misdemeanor shoplifting to homicide, while maintaining a client-centered focus with an emphasis on zealous advocacy. In her free time she enjoys hiking and live music.

Ms. Ford is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (VACDL), the Alexandria Bar Association, and the Fairfax Bar Association.