Robert H. Jackson Center 25 years of Asking Questions: Who Decides what Justice Looks Like?

[Robert H. Jackson Center]

What responsibilities do prosecutors have beyond simply enforcing the law?

We pose this question to Jessica H. Kim, the former U.S. Special Prosecutor for the Crime of Aggression, who will speak at the Jackson Center this Friday, July 24 at 6 p.m.

Inspired by Robert H. Jackson’s landmark speech The Federal Prosecutor, this program explores the immense discretion prosecutors hold—and the ethical choices that shape justice every day. From deciding who to charge and what cases to pursue, to determining when restraint is more just than punishment, prosecutors wield extraordinary influence over how justice is experienced by individuals and communities alike.

This conversation examines how prosecutorial discretion shapes outcomes, how bias and accountability affect decision-making, and why Jackson believed the prosecutor’s role carried not only legal authority, but profound moral responsibility.

Appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2023, Jessica was the first American prosecutor since Nuremberg to engage in international efforts to build cases on the crime of aggression. She worked with the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine (ICPA), a multinational task force of investigators and prosecutors based in The Hague securing crucial evidence and building cases to hold senior political and military leaders accountable for Russian aggression against Ukraine. She also represented the United States in international negotiations to establish the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine under the framework of the Council of Europe.

Jessica previously served as Chief of Staff & Counselor of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, responsible for the strategic and operational management of hundreds of federal prosecutors and personnel conducting wide-ranging, complex investigations and enforcement matters. From 2019-2022, Jessica was the Department of Justice's Resident Legal Advisor for Bulgaria, Romania, and Slovakia, providing justice sector assistance to build capacity in combatting corruption, money laundering, and organized crime. She promoted procedural and legislative reforms to counter foreign malign influence, build an effective judiciary, and promote the rule of law in Eastern Europe. Jessica also previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in the Southern District of Ohio, where she prosecuted a broad range of federal crimes, including white collar crimes and national security offenses. For her work as an AUSA, Jessica received the Attorney General's Award for Outstanding Contributions by a New Employee; she has also received the Assistant Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service for advancing accountability and justice for Ukraine, as well as the U.S. Embassy's Firewalker Award for her relentless pursuit of rule of law reforms in Eastern Europe.

Jessica currently serves as the Chief Legal Officer of Lisinski Law Firm, one of the nation's leading immigration law firms specializing in humanitarian visa strategy and execution. In this role, she oversees governance, compliance, data, and enterprise risk, aligning legal strategy with organizational priorities across 15 offices nationwide. Since its founding in 2020, the firm has helped over 55,000 individuals pursue pathways to legal status, driven by its mission to expand access to justice for immigrant communities.

Jessica clerked for the Honorable Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and the Honorable G. Steven Agee of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.