Janet was born in Miami, Florida. She was the oldest of four children and had three younger brothers. Janet's father had immigrated to the United States from Denmark; he worked for 43 years as a police reporter for the Miami Herald. Her mother became an investigative reporter for the Miami News after she raised her children.

Janet was the debating champion of Coral Gables High School in Dade County, Florida. She continued her education at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York where she majored in chemistry. In 1960 Janet enrolled at Harvard Law School. She received her law degree three years later, but had trouble finding a job as a lawyer because she was a woman.

Eventually, Janet was named the staff director of the Judiciary Committee of the Florida House of Representatives. In 1973 Janet accepted a position with the Dade County State's Attorney Office. Three years later she became a partner in a law firm. After that she became the first woman to serve as the State Attorney General for Dade County. She was the State Attorney General for many years until she was nominated by President Bill Clinton on February 11, 1993 to be the U.S. Attorney General. Janet Reno was sworn in as the Nation's first woman Attorney General by President Clinton on March 12, 1993.

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