MEET ESTHER PANITCH

I moved to Georgia in 2004 and never looked back. My husband Roger and I raised our three children here—two of them walked the halls of North Springs High School. For over 20 years, I've shopped at our local stores, worshipped in our synagogues, and built a life in the neighborhoods I now represent.

I graduated law school in 1995 and have spent 30 years as a lawyer fighting for people who needed help. I started as a Domestic Violence Court Coordinator in Miami, helping survivors navigate the legal system at the most vulnerable moments of their lives. I then became an Assistant Public Defender, standing up for people who couldn't afford an attorney. When I moved to Georgia in 2004, I continued that work—first at the Fulton County Conflict Defender's Office, then in my own private practice helping families through divorce, custody battles, and protective orders.

When the only Jewish legislator in the Georgia General Assembly decided to step down, I knew someone needed to step up. Our community deserved representation from someone who understood both the privilege and the responsibility of being the only Jewish voice in the chamber. That's why I ran, and that's why I continue to serve.

COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS:

In the legislature, I serve on the Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, the Juvenile Justice Committee, and the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee—assignments that align with my 30 years of legal experience and allow me to fight for meaningful criminal justice reform from the inside.