Rachel Davakis is an attorney with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel’s Investigation and Prosecution Division where she works to safeguard the federal merit system by investigating and prosecuting prohibited personnel practices, including whistleblower retaliation and improper hiring practices. She helps protect the rights of federal employees while promoting fairness, accountability, and integrity across the federal workforce. Prior to joining OSC, Rachel served as an attorney advisor with the U.S. Social Security Administration’s Office of Appellate Operations, where she evaluated disability appeals and conducted focused reviews of Administrative Law Judges to assess for potential fraud.
Rachel is proud to further her commitment to public service through volunteer and pro bono efforts, including with bar associations like the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia. She has held several leadership positions on the Board of Directors, including Treasurer, Secretary, and Programs Committee Chair, and previously served as co-chair of the Government Attorneys Forum. Rachel served as the 2025–2026 President-Elect of the WBA and looks forward to continuing to support and empower women lawyers during her term as President.
When did you join the WBA?
I joined the WBA in 2015. Longtime member and leader, Cathy Pagano, made me feel welcomed and encouraged me to become more involved. Cathy generously mentored me, introduced me to members across the WBA community, and helped me identify meaningful opportunities to contribute and grow as a leader. With her support, I became a co-chair of the Government Attorneys Forum and eventually a member of the Board of Directors.
Why did you join the WBA?
I joined the WBA as a young lawyer, looking for community, mentorship, and connection. What I found was a network of some of the most brilliant, accomplished, and inspiring women lawyers in the city. The WBA brings together women who are leaders, advocates, mentors, and changemakers—women who open doors for one another and work together to shape the future of the profession. It is far more than a bar association; it is a powerful community.
What benefits do you get from being a part of the WBA and why do you think others should join?
If you are searching for a “third space” outside of work and home—a place to connect, grow, and belong—the WBA can be that community for you. When I moved to DC early in my career, the WBA helped make a large and competitive legal community feel welcoming and supportive. Some of the most meaningful relationships I have built in my career have come through the WBA. It is an organization built not only on professional advancement, but on connection and support.
The WBA has also provided incredible opportunities for me to grow professionally and expand my visibility within the legal community. Through leadership roles, programming, and collaboration with attorneys across a wide range of practice areas and industries, I have strengthened my management, networking, public speaking, strategic planning, and organizational skills.
What is the best advice you have received?
Talent and hard work matter, but relationships and reputation are often what open doors. The legal profession is built on trust, professionalism, and connection. People may forget your resume, but they will remember whether you were kind, dependable, collaborative, and respectful. Treat others well at every stage of your career—today’s classmate, colleague, or opposing counsel may become tomorrow’s mentor, client, referral source, or friend.
What words of advice do you have for women new to the profession?
Take the time to identify the strengths that make you effective and unique—whether that is advocacy, writing, leadership, relationship-building, creativity, organization, or empathy. Too often, lawyers focus only on the skills they believe they lack instead of recognizing the value they already bring to the table. The most successful and impactful attorneys are often those who understand their strengths, continue to develop them, and lead with authenticity.