Jami Floyd Biography

Jami Floyd is an American attorney, journalist, network news anchor, legal and political analyst, former White House Fellow, and current host of TED Talks in NYC on NYC Life.

Education

While at Binghamton University as an undergraduate, Floyd worked as disc jockey at WHRW. Floyd graduated in 1986 with a B.A. in political science and a concentration in Journalism. She attended and graduated with honours from the UC Berkeley School of Law, University of California, Berkeley, where she had been an associate editor of the law review. She received a Master of Laws degree in 1989 from Stanford Law School, Stanford University, where she also worked as a teaching fellow and law professor.

Career

Law

Floyd began working as an attorney in the California Supreme Court as a law clerk to Honorable Associate Justice Allen E. Broussard.

She began practice in civil and criminal law when she entered the law firm Morrison & Foerster. She left the firm in 1993 to join the San Francisco Public Defender office, where she worked as a trial attorney.

Washington, DC

Later that year, Floyd was selected as a White House Fellow and moved to Washington, DC. She was assigned first to the office of First Lady Hillary Clinton, and later to the office of Vice President Al Gore. She also worked as an assistant in the White House Budget Office.

Television

Floyd's first television broadcasting job was as reporter and legal analyst for KPIX-TV in San Francisco. In 1995, she moved to New York, joining CBS News magazine, Day & Date, as a legal analyst. She also served as a radio analyst for WNYC. She was deeply involved in covering the murder case of O. J. Simpson and analysis of the nationwide response to his acquittal.

In February 2005, Floyd joined Court TV (now truTV) In January 2006, Court TV gave Floyd her own series, Jami Floyd: Best Defense. From 2006 through 2009, Floyd offered her legal analysis and spin on topical issues, as well as coverage of major trials.

Floyd has worked Court TV as news correspondent and news anchor; and at ABC News, where she reported for World News Tonight alongside Peter Jennings. She has contributed her legal knowledge to segments of Good Morning America and Nightline, and has co-anchored both World News Now and Early Morning News. She led the consumer reports unit for 20/20.

Filmography

Appearing as herself, Floyd has appeared on or hosted:

• Disorder in the Court: The 20 Most Outrageous Courtroom Moments (2006 and 2007)
• Justice (1 episode, 2006)
• Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith (3 episodes, 2006)
• The Wire: Odyssey, The Wire: The Last Word (2007)
• Disorder in the Court 3, 4 and 6 (2008)
• The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest (11 episodes, 2008)
• The O'Reilly Factor (2 episodes, 2008)
• Jami Floyd: Best Defense (53 episodes, 2006-2009)
• Huckabee (2 episodes, 2010)
• Ted Talks in New York (2012; also as director)

Journalism

In May 2012, Floyd published a piece for Marie Claire, a women's magazine, responding to Samantha Brick's essay, "Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful."

Recognition

Floyd has been nominated twice for an Emmy Award and has won a Gracie Award, a Telly Award, and the National Association of Black Journalists Salute to Excellence Award.

Awards and nominations

• 1999, nominated for News and Documentary Emmy Award for 'Outstanding Coverage of a Breaking News Story'
• 2001, won PPFA Maggie Award for 'Outstanding Coverage of Reproductive Rights and Health Issues.'
• 2002, won CINE Golden Eagle Award for work as correspondent on ABC News 20/20.
• 2003, won Radio and Television News Directors Association UNITY Award.
• 2006, won National Association of Black Journalists 'Salute to Excellence Award'
• 2007, won Gracie Award for 'Outstanding Host of a Television News Program'
• won Telly Award for 'Outstanding Co-Anchor'
• won one US International Film & Video Festival Gold Camera Award for her news piece, "Justice Delayed", in which Floyd investigated the murder of a DNA-research-specializing scientist.

Personal life

Floyd was born September 10, 1964, and raised in New York City. Her father formerly worked as a chief architect for restaurateur Warner LeRoy and was also keen in arts and decorating. Floyd says that she is an "African American", having been born to a black father and a white mother. Her family lived in Mitchell-Lama housing on the Lower East Side.

Floyd married Kurt Flehinger, and they have two children together. In August 2005 Floyd purchased an apartment in Manhattan, on 86th Street near Riverside Drive, where they reside.