Esther Panitch

Esther Panitch was born in North Miami, Florida, and lives in Sandy Springs, Georgia.[1][2] Panitch earned a bachelor's degree and juris doctor from the University of Miami in 1992 and 1995, respectively. Her career experience includes owning The Panitch Law Group PC. Panitch has been affiliated with Hadassah.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

In 2004, Esther moved with her family to Georgia, opening a private firm in Atlanta representing criminal defendants and victims in all State and Federal Courts. She practices civil and family law and has been named by Georgia Trend Magazine to their Legal Elite list. Esther has been named a SuperLawyer by her peers every year since 2019. She was also appointed to the Criminal Justice Act panel in the Northern District of Georgia.

Esther is an active volunteer with Hadassah, a Jewish women’s organization that advocates for improved medical research. For her work on education in stem cell research, she won the highest young leadership award, the Judith Epstein Memorial Leadership Award. She was also the local chair for Hadassah's 2016 National Convention in Atlanta and received the Power of Women that Do award.

She attracted national attention due to her work on some high-profile cases, which led her to become a trusted source on legal matters for media outlets local and national. She has made more than 100 appearances on Fox News, Fox Business, MSNBC, CNN, and WSB and has been frequently quoted as an expert in the AJC and the New York Times.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I have spent my life advocating for the under-represented. When I was a teenager, I lobbied my state legislature to add seat belts to school buses. As a lawyer, I stood up for survivorsof domestic violence. Recently, I was on the front lines fighting to pass legislation protecting childhood survivors of sexual abuse. As your state representative, I will protect our voting rights to strengthen democracy.My mother and grandmother taught me that the strongest communities leave no one behind. I’ll work to rebuild our infrastructure, enhance public transportation and see to it that everyone has access to affordable, quality healthcare.For 26 years my clients have depended on my legal insight and compassion to represent them against powerful interests. From public defender to private practice, I’ve always emphasized protecting those who can’t protect themselves.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As great as it is, our justice system is not without its flaws. We’ve seen how mass incarceration with mandatory minimum sentences has not made us any safer but has instead ripped apart families and communities unnecessarily. I will fight to eliminate mandatory minimum sentencing, promoting instead restorative justice and rehabilitation programs for non-violent offenders. Georgia has the 8th highest incarceration rate in a nation with the highest incarceration in the world. Yet even with “tough on crime” Republic governors for the last 19 years, crime has risen statewide.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am extremely pragmatic, fast on my feet, civil, and kind

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

We’ve taken our democracy for granted for too long. We’ve seen in recent years just how fragile it can be. Preserving our democratic ideals has to be our number one priority.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would feel comfortable knowing that I left the world better than I found it.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Egypt-Israel peace treaty. I was 8.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

There is room for people of goodwill to have political and ideological differences but one area that there should be no sunlight is the fundamental values of democracy; the ability to vote in a free and fair election and the peaceful transfer of power. Both of these bedrock values were stress-tested in ways they should not have been in the last election. I got into this race because the foundations of our democracy are under attack. Voter suppression cannot be tolerated. Recent laws rolling back early voting and absentee voting disproportionately impact working families and redrawn districts disproportionately silence black and brown voters.

We desperately need to secure additional funding and expansion of Medicaid. While the number of uninsured Georgians has decreased in recent years, we remain among the three least insured states in the U.S. In addition to simply expanding Medicaid, we need to make sure specific issues are being addressed.

An expanded Medicaid should also include provisions that will improve access to LGBT healthcare, enhance reproductive healthcare and combat racial and regional disparities in healthcare access.

Additionally, Atlanta is, by some studies, the 8th most congested city in the world. The Atlanta Metro Area is rapidly growing thanks to an expanding job market, temperate climate, and progressive attitudes. But our already underfunded state budget barely supports many of the fastest growing areas in Georgia, forcing greater dependency on cars. The end result is massive congestion that only adds to air pollution We need to seize this opportunity to direct state funds in ways that are sustainable and equitable. We desperately need MARTA stations north of North Springs Station and more than just a couple of bus lines supporting Sandy Springs.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Experience comes in many forms. Citizen activists can have just as big an impact as entrenched politicians.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

The saying “no man is an island” rings doubly true in politics. I am running for office because I want to see positive change in my community. In order to do that I need to have people I can work with, not only in my party, but in the opposition. In our divided state, a little pragmatism can go a long way.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Partisan gerrymandering is anti-democratic, plain and simple. In order for every American to have an equal chance of having their voices heard, we must create independent districting boards.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

I would like to be part of the Judiciary committee.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes. I am a pragmatist but not someone who can be rolled over.