Rae Shearn served as a Southern District Magistrate before joining Janet Reno at the Miami Dade State Attorney's Office. She was also a prosecutor during the Miami Riot, Court Broom Sweep, and Miami River Cops trials. In the mid to late 1980s, she served in the drugs speciality division unit under Janet Reno. This occurred three years before the then-Miami-Dade State Attorney appointed her to the division head. During this moment, she felt compelled to move to the accused's side.