September 7, 2017

Today, President Donald J. Trump announced that he has nominated sixteen individuals to the following Federal judgeships.
If confirmed, Ryan Wesley Bounds of Oregon will serve as a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  Ryan Bounds serves as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, where he prosecutes criminal cases on behalf of the United States.  Previously, he was a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia.  Before becoming a Federal prosecutor, Mr. Bounds served as Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, acting as the White House's primary policy expert on criminal and civil justice issues.   He also served as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Chief of Staff in the Office of Legal Policy at the United States Department of Justice.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Bounds practiced commercial law for Stoel Rives LLP in Portland, Oregon.  Mr. Bounds served as a law clerk to Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  He earned his B.A. in psychology and political science, with Honors and Distinction, from Stanford University and his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was an editor on the Yale Law Journal and Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Law & Policy Review.
 
If confirmed, Elizabeth L. “Lisa” Branch of Georgia will serve as a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.  Judge Lisa Branch serves on the Georgia Court of Appeals, where she has served since her appointment by the governor in 2012.  Prior to ascending to the bench, Judge Branch was a partner in the commercial litigation practice group at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP in Atlanta, where she began her legal career in 1996.  From 2004-2008, Judge Branch served as a senior official in the Administration of President George W. Bush. During this period, she served for three years as the Counselor to the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the U. S. Office of Management and Budget, and for one year as the Associate General Counsel for Rules and Legislation at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  Upon graduation from law school, Judge Branch served for two years as a law clerk to Judge J. Owen Forrester of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Judge Branch earned her B.A. from Davidson College, cum laude, and her J.D., with distinction, from the Emory University School of Law, where she was inducted into the Order of the Coif and served as the notes and comments editor of the Emory Law Journal.

If confirmed, Gregory G. Katsas of Virginia will serve as a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.  Gregory Katsas currently serves as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President.  Prior to joining the White House Counsel’s Office, Mr. Katsas was a partner at Jones Day, where he specialized in civil and appellate litigation.  He has argued more than 75 appeals, including cases in the U.S. Supreme Court and every Federal appellate court.  From 2001 to 2009, Mr. Katsas served in many senior positions in the U.S. Department of Justice, including Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division and Acting Associate Attorney General.  In 2009, he was awarded the Edmund Randolph award for outstanding service, the highest award bestowed by the Department.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Katsas served as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas, both at the District of Columbia Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court, and to Judge Edward Becker of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.  Mr. Katsas earned his A.B. from Princeton University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he was an executive editor of the Harvard Law Review.

If confirmed, R. Stan Baker of Georgia will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. Judge Stan Baker currently serves as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of Georgia.  Prior to his elevation to the bench, Judge Baker spent a decade in private practice representing a broad range of clients including individuals, small businesses, and large corporations.  Judge Baker litigated a wide range of civil, commercial, and criminal matters in State and Federal courts across Georgia and throughout the country.  Upon graduation from law school, Judge Baker began his legal career in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, serving for two years as a law clerk to Judge William T. Moore, Jr.  Judge Baker earned his B.A. from Davidson College and his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law.
 
If confirmed, Jeffrey Uhlman Beaverstock of Alabama will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama.  Jeff Beaverstock is a partner in the Mobile, Alabama, office of Burr & Forman, LLP, where his practice focuses on civil and commercial litigation in State and Federal courts. Before entering the practice of law, Mr. Beaverstock served on active duty for four years as an Airborne Ranger Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army, and has served in the U.S. Army Reserve since leaving active duty.  Mr. Beaverstock currently holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps of the U.S. Army (Reserve) and is the Chief of Contract and Administrative Law for the 377th Theater Sustainment Command.  Mr. Beaverstock earned his B.A. from The Citadel, where he was selected as the Distinguished Military Graduate and as the Most Outstanding Army Cadet. He earned his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law, where he served as managing editor of the Alabama Law Review.
 
If confirmed, John W. Broomes of Kansas will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.  John Broomes is currently a Member of the Hinkle Law Firm LLC, where he practices in the firm’s Business Litigation Group with a focus on natural resources law.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Broomes served as a law clerk to both Judge Monti L. Belot and Magistrate Judge Donald W. Bostwick on the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.  Before entering law school, Mr. Broomes was a Lieutenant in the United States Navy Submarine Force, where his awards included the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.  Mr. Broomes received his B.S., with high honors, from the University of Texas at Austin.  He received his J.D. from Washburn University School of Law, where he graduated first in his class with a Certificate in natural resources law.
 
If confirmed, Walter David Counts, III, of Texas will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.  Judge David Counts currently serves as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Texas, and as a Judge Advocate in the Texas National Guard, where he holds the rank of Colonel and saw active duty in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.  Before his elevation to the bench eight years ago, Judge Counts served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas, rising to serve as Deputy Chief of the Major Crimes Unit.  Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Judge Counts served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Travis County District Attorney’s Office and as an associate in private practice.  Judge Counts earned his B.A. from Texas Tech University and his J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law.
 
If confirmed, Rebecca Grady Jennings of Kentucky will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.  Rebecca Jennings is currently a director at the law firm Middleton Reutlinger in Louisville, Kentucky.  Ms. Jennings serves as chair of the firm’s litigation practice, and her practice focuses on civil litigation at both the trial and appellate levels in State and Federal courts.  Ms. Jennings began her legal career as a law clerk to Judge William J. Haynes, Jr., of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.  She earned her B.A. from Emory University and J.D. from the Washington College of Law at American University, where she served as a senior associate on the American University International Law Review.
 
If confirmed, Matthew J. Kacsmaryk of Texas will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.  Matthew Kacsmaryk is Deputy General Counsel to First Liberty Institute, where his practice focuses on religious liberty litigation in federal courts and amicus briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court.  From 2008 through 2013, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Texas, where he was lead counsel in over 75 criminal appeals and co-counsel in high-profile criminal and terrorism trials.  In 2013, Mr. Kacsmaryk received the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security for his work in United States v. Aldawsari.  From 2003 to 2008, he was an associate in the Dallas office of Baker Botts LLP, where he focused on commercial, constitutional, and intellectual property litigation.  In 2005, he received the firm’s Opus Justitiae Award for Outstanding Commitment to Pro Bono Work.  He earned his J.D. with honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 2003 and his B.A., summa cum laude, from Abilene Christian University in 1999.
 
If confirmed, Emily Coody Marks of Alabama will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.  Emily Marks is a partner in the Montgomery, Alabama, office of Ball, Ball, Matthews & Novak, P.A., where she has practiced since joining the firm as an associate in 1998.  Mrs. Marks specializes in labor and employment law, civil rights law, and appellate practice, and routinely lectures on these topics before employers and other members of the bar.  Mrs. Marks earned her B.A., magna cum laude, from Spring Hill College, and her J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law, where she served as chair of the John A. Campbell Moot Court Board and as a senior editor of the University of Alabama Law & Psychology Review.
 
If confirmed, Jeff Mateer of Texas will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.  Jeff Mateer currently serves as the First Assistant Attorney General of Texas, where he oversees the Office of Attorney General of Texas, including supervision of the State’s active litigation matters.  Before entering public service, Mr. Mateer was general counsel and executive vice president of the First Liberty Institute, where his practice focused primarily on defending religious liberty.  This followed nearly 20 years of litigating in private practice, where he handled a range of trial and appellate matters.  Mr. Mateer earned his B.A. with honors from Dickinson College and his J.D. with honors from Southern Methodist University School of Law.
 
If confirmed, Terry F. Moorer of Alabama will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama.  Judge Terry F. Moorer currently serves as a Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, a position he assumed in 2007.  Before assuming his judgeship, Judge Moorer served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Middle District of Alabama, as a Command Judge Advocate in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, and as an attorney in the Office of Staff Judge Advocate in Fort Rucker, Alabama.  Judge Moorer earned his Associate of Arts from the Marion Military Institute, his B.A. from Huntington College, and his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law.
 
If confirmed, Matthew Spencer Petersen of Virginia will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  Matt Petersen is currently a Commissioner on the Federal Election Commission.  He was unanimously confirmed to that position by the United States Senate in 2008, and served as the Commission’s Chairman in 2010 and 2016 and as its Vice Chairman in 2009 and 2015.  Before joining the Commission, Mr. Petersen served as Chief Counsel to the United States Senate’s Committee on Rules and Administration and as Counsel to the United States House of Representatives’ Committee on House Administration.  Earlier in his career, he practiced election law at Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP.  Mr. Petersen earned his B.A., magna cum laude, from Brigham Young University, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was a member of the editorial board of the Virginia Law Review.
 
If confirmed, Fernando Rodriguez, Jr., of Texas will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.  Fernando Rodriguez currently works as a field office director in the Dominican Republic for International Justice Mission, where he leads efforts to combat sex trafficking of children.  Mr. Rodriguez’s work has contributed to the rescue of more than 110 victims and 21 convictions of the perpetrators.  Mr. Rodriguez previously led similar efforts against the sexual abuse of children in Bolivia.  Before joining International Justice Mission, Mr. Rodriguez was a partner in the Dallas office of Baker Botts LLP, where his practice focused on commercial litigation.  From 1997 to 1998, he served as a briefing attorney for then-Justice Nathan L. Hecht on the Supreme Court of Texas.  Mr. Rodriguez earned his B.A. from Yale University and his J.D. with honors from the University of Texas School of Law.
 
If confirmed, Karen Gren Scholer of Texas will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.  Karen Scholer is a principal and serves as the co-managing partner in the Dallas law firm of Carter Scholer PLLC, where her practice focuses on complex business, tort, and other civil litigation in State and Federal courts.  Before joining the firm, she was a partner at the law firm of Jones Day.  In 2000, she was elected, and in 2004 reelected, by the people of Texas to serve for eight years as a State District Judge in Dallas County, where she presided over thousands of cases, including more than 100 cases tried to jury verdict.  In 2007, she also served as the Presiding Judge for the Dallas County Civil District Judges.  Ms. Scholer has been identified as one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Texas by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers, and she has received awards for professional excellence from a number of Asian-American community and service organizations. Ms. Scholer earned her B.A. from Rice University and her J.D. from Cornell University Law School.
 
If confirmed, Brett Joseph Talley of Alabama will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.  Brett Talley serves as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Policy.  Before joining the Department of Justice, Mr. Talley served for two years as the Deputy Solicitor General in the Alabama Attorney General’s Office. Prior to joining the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, Mr. Talley served as a speechwriter for U.S. Senator Rob Portman and as a Senior Writer for Mitt Romney’s Presidential campaign.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Talley served as an associate in the Washington, D.C., office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, as law clerk to Judge Joel F. Dubina on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and as a law clerk to Judge L. Scott Coogler of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.  Mr. Talley earned his B.A., in philosophy and history, summa cum laude, from the University of Alabama, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, and his J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he served as an articles editor of the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy.

August 3, 2017

The President today announced that he has nominated ten individuals to the following Federal judgeships and four individuals to the following U.S. Attorney positions.
 
If confirmed, Michael B. Brennan of Wisconsin will serve as a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.  Mr. Brennan currently serves as a partner in the Milwaukee law firm Gass Weber Mullins LLC, where he tries cases and handles appeals in Federal and state courts involving commercial and tort disputes, and he serves as a mediator and an arbitrator.  Before that, Mr. Brennan served for nine years as a judge on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, where he presided over hundreds of trials and motions in criminal and civil cases. During that time, he served as the presiding judge of the civil division of that court.  Before his service on the bench, Mr. Brennan prosecuted cases as an assistant district attorney in Milwaukee County where he first-chaired numerous trials, and spent four years as a litigation associate in the Milwaukee office of Foley & Lardner LLP.  Mr. Brennan served as a law clerk to Judge Daniel A. Manion of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and as a law clerk to Chief Judge Robert W. Warren of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.  Mr. Brennan received his B.A. in government and philosophy, cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame, and his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law, where he served as the coordinating note and comment editor of the Northwestern University Law Review and he won the Julius H. Miner Moot Court Competition.
 
If confirmed, L. Steven Grasz of Nebraska will serve as a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.  Mr. Grasz currently serves as a senior counsel in the Omaha office of Husch Blackwell LLP, where he handles business, appellate, public policy, regulatory law, and governmental affairs matters. Before joining the firm, Mr. Grasz spent over eleven years as the state of Nebraska’s Chief Deputy Attorney General, where he oversaw the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office’s civil and appellate practice in state and Federal courts, the state’s official Attorney General’s Opinions, and the representation of state constitutional officers and legislators. Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, Mr. Grasz spent two years as an associate at Kutak Rock and one year as a legislative assistant to Congresswoman Virginia Smith. Mr. Grasz received his B.S., cum laude, in agriculture from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and his J.D. from the University of Nebraska College of Law, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif, served as the executive editor of the Nebraska Law Review, and received the Roscoe Pound Award for his selection as top oral advocate in his class.
 
If confirmed, Donald C. Coggins, Jr., of South Carolina will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.  Mr. Coggins is currently a shareholder in the Spartanburg, South Carolina law firm of Harrison, White, Smith & Coggins, P.C.  His law practice focuses on general civil litigation in state and Federal courts.  Before that, Mr. Coggins was a partner in the Spartanburg law firm of Cummings, Smith and Coggins, where he had started his legal career as an associate.  Mr. Coggins received his B.A. from Clemson University and his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law.
 
If confirmed, Terry A. Doughty of Louisiana will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.  Judge Terry Doughty serves as a District Judge for the Fifth Judicial District Court, where he presides over criminal, civil, and juvenile cases arising in the parishes of Franklin, Richland, and West Carroll, and where he has served since assuming office on January 1, 2009. In 2015, Judge Doughty was re-elected to the court and received the Citizen Lawyer Award from the Louisiana State Bar Association. From 1985 through 2008, Judge Doughty served as an assistant district attorney for the Fifth Judicial District. During that period, he prosecuted misdemeanor and felony cases, and litigated post-conviction proceedings and juvenile cases. Prior to joining the district attorney’s office, Judge Doughty practiced at the Rayville, Louisiana, firm of Cotton, Bolton, Hoychick & Doughty. Judge Doughty received his B.S., in finance, from Louisiana Tech University and his J.D. from the Louisiana State University Law School.
 
If confirmed, Michael J. Juneau of Louisiana will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.  Mr. Juneau is a founding member and shareholder of Juneau David, APLC, a Lafayette-based litigation firm that handles a broad range of civil litigation in state and Federal courts across Louisiana. Mr. Juneau also has extensive experience administering mass tort settlements as a court-appointed neutral in significant mass tort and nationwide class action matters. In this capacity, he has managed some of the largest multidistrict litigation in the United States, including In Re: Vioxx Products Liability Litigation and In Re: Oil Spill by the Rig “Deepwater Horizon” in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010. Mr. Juneau received his B.S., magna cum laude, from Louisiana State University and his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he was selected as the best oralist in the Ames Moot Court Competition.
 
If confirmed, A. Marvin Quattlebaum, Jr., of South Carolina will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.  Mr. Quattlebaum is currently a partner in the Greenville, South Carolina, office of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP, the same firm where he started his legal career as an associate.  Mr. Quattlebaum’s nationwide trial practice focuses on complex civil litigation in federal courts. On the basis of this expertise, he was invited to serve as a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers.  From 2011-12, Mr. Quattlebaum served as the President of the South Carolina Bar.  Mr. Quattlebaum received his B.A., cum laude, from Rhodes College and his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he served as a member of the South Carolina Law Review.
 
If confirmed, Holly Lou Teeter of Kansas will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the District of Kansas.  Mrs. Teeter is currently an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.  Earlier in her career, Mrs. Teeter practiced patent law at Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP, and was a patent law clerk at Los Alamos National Security, LLC.  She served as a law clerk to Judge Brian C. Wimes of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri and to Judge Carlos Murguia of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas.  Mrs. Teeter received her B.S. with highest distinction from the University of Kansas School of Engineering, and her J.D. from the University of Kansas, where she was a member of the Kansas Law Review and graduated first in her class.  She also holds a Diploma in Legal Studies from the University of Oxford.
 
If confirmed, Robert E. Wier of Kentucky will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.  Judge Robert Wier currently serves as a Magistrate Judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, a position to which he was first appointed in 2006 and reappointed in 2014.  Before his judicial service, Judge Wier worked in private practice as a member of the law firm Ransdell & Wier PLLC and, before that, as an associate with the Lexington, Kentucky, law firm Stoll, Keenon & Park LLP.  Judge Wier started his legal career serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Eugene E. Siler, Jr., of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  Judge Wier received his B.A., with high distinction and departmental honors, from the University of Kentucky, and his J.D., with high distinction, from the University of Kentucky College of Law, where he was valedictorian, and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Kentucky Law Journal.
 
If confirmed, Elizabeth Ann Copeland of Texas will serve as a Judge on the United States Tax Court.  Ms. Copeland serves as a tax litigation partner in the San Antonio law firm of Strasburger & Price, LLP. Before joining Strasburger, Ms. Copeland spent nineteen years as an associate and then shareholder in with the law firm of Oppenheimer, Blend, Harrison & Tate, Inc., where her principal area of practice focused on resolving taxation controversies. Ms. Copeland has been Board Certified in Tax Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2002.   Upon graduation from law school, Ms. Copeland served as an Attorney Advisor to Judge Mary Ann Cohen of the United States Tax Court. Before enrolling in law school, Ms. Copeland spent four three years as a senior accountant at Ernst & Young rising to the rank of Senior Accountant. Ms. Copeland received her B.B.A., in Accounting with Honors, from the University of Texas at Austin, and her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. Tax Analysts® named her a 2012 Tax Person of the Year in its national edition of Tax Notes.  Best Lawyers® selected her as its Lawyer of the Year in Tax Law for 2017.  She served as Chair of the State Bar of Texas Tax Section from 2013 to 2014.  In addition to her J.D., Ms. Copeland holds an active Certified Public Accountant’s license.
 
If confirmed, Patrick J. Urda of Indiana will serve as a Judge on the United States Tax Court.  Mr. Urda currently serves as Counsel to the Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the United States Department of Justice’s Tax Division, where he advises the Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Tax Division front office on legal and administrative issues facing the Division, particularly regarding appellate and settlement matters.  In addition to acting as Counsel, Mr. Urda is a member of the Tax Division’s Appellate Section, which he joined in 2006.  During his time in the Appellate Section, he has litigated more than eighty appeals from the United States Tax Court and the United States District Courts and has presented oral argument on behalf of the United States in more than forty-five appeals, including arguments in each of the United States Courts of Appeals.  Mr. Urda also was one of the principal drafters of the United States’ successful brief in Hall v. United States, 566 U.S. 506 (2012).  Mr. Urda is a five-time recipient of the Tax Division’s Outstanding Attorney Award, and has received the IRS’s Mitchell Rogovan Award.  Prior to his government service, Mr. Urda spent three years in private practice, and served as a law clerk to Judge Daniel A. Manion of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.  He received his B.A. in Classics, summa cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, and his J.D. from Harvard Law School.
 
If confirmed, Scott C. Blader of Wisconsin will serve as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.  Mr. Blader is currently the elected District Attorney for Waushara County, Wisconsin and has been serving in that capacity since 2007.  Prior to 2007, Mr. Blader was an associate attorney with Blader Law Office, where he focused on criminal litigation.  He received his B.S. from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and his J.D. from Marquette Law School.
 
If confirmed, Robert M. (Rob) Duncan, Jr. of Kentucky will serve as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky.  Since 2005, Mr. Duncan has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Kentucky, where he has prosecuted a variety of criminal cases, including complex drug trafficking, money laundering, firearms offenses, and violent crime.  Mr. Duncan clerked for the Honorable Henry R. Wilhoit, Jr., of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.  Mr. Duncan received his B.A. from Centre College, and his J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law.
 
If confirmed, John R. Lausch Jr. of Illinois will serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. Mr. Lausch is currently a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where his practice focuses on corporate investigations and other complex litigation matters.  Previously, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois from 1999 to 2010.  During his time in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Lausch served as a Deputy Chief in the Narcotics and Gangs Section for several years, where he helped lead the District’s Anti-Gang and Project Safe Neighborhoods programs.  Mr. Lausch clerked for the Honorable Michael S. Kanne of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.  He received his A.B., cum laude, from Harvard University and his J.D., cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law.
 
If confirmed, William J. Powell will serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia.  Mr. Powell is currently serving as the Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the Jefferson County West Virginia Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.  He previously was a member at the law firm of Jackson Kelly PLLC in Martinsburg, West Virginia, where his practice focused on civil litigation and white-collar criminal law.  He also previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of West Virginia, where he prosecuted major fraud and violent crimes.  Mr. Powell received his B.A. from Salem College, and his J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law.

July 13, 2017

The President today announced his intent to nominate these eleven individuals to the following Federal judgeships.
If confirmed, Annemarie Carney Axon of Alabama will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.  Annemarie Axon is a member of the Birmingham law firm of Wallace, Jordan, Ratliff, & Brandt, LLC, where she litigates trust, estate, and business cases in both trial and appellate courts. Before joining the firm, Mrs. Axon served as Assistant Vice President of AmSouth Bank and as an associate at the law firm of Edwards and Angell, LLP in Providence, Rhode Island. Immediately upon graduation from law school, Mrs. Axon served as a law clerk to Judge Inge P. Johnson of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Mrs. Axon received her B.A. from the University of Alabama and J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law.

If confirmed, Michael Lawrence Brown of Georgia will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.  Mike Brown is an equity partner and co-chair of the White Collar and Government Investigations practice group in the Atlanta office of Alston & Bird LLP.  Prior to joining Alston & Bird, Mr. Brown served for six years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Georgia and in the Southern District of Florida, where he tried more than twenty-five cases and argued criminal appeals.  Before entering government service, Mr. Brown spent four years as a litigation associate in the Atlanta office of King & Spalding LLP. Mr. Brown clerked for Judge J.L. Edmondson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta.  He received his B.A. from Georgetown University, and his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif, and served on the editorial board and the managerial board of the Georgia Law Review.

If confirmed, Liles C. Burke of Alabama will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.  Judge Liles Burke serves as an Associate Judge on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals. Prior to his elevation to the Court of Appeals, Judge Burke served as a Marshall County District Judge, as Acting Circuit Judge, and as a City of Arab Municipal Judge. Prior to ascending to the bench, Judge Burke practiced at the law firm of Burke & Beuoy, P.C., where he represented businesses and individuals in general practice, including domestic, criminal, civil litigation, juvenile, and probate matters. He has also served as a Municipal Prosecutor and Municipal Attorney, and currently serves in the Alabama Army National Guard Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps. Judge Burke received his B.A. from the University of Alabama and J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law.

If confirmed, William L. (“Chip”) Campbell, Jr., of Tennessee, will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.  Chip Campbell is currently a member in the Nashville office of Frost Brown Todd, LLC, where he handles a wide range of civil litigation matters.  Mr. Campbell previously worked as an associate and later a partner in the Nashville firm of Riley Warnock & Jacobson, PLC, and as an associate in the Birmingham, Alabama office of Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C.  Mr. Campbell received his B.S. from the United States Naval Academy and served seven years in the United States Marine Corps, principally as a Naval Flight Officer.  He received his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Alabama Law Review.

If confirmed, Thomas Alvin Farr of North Carolina, will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.  Tom Farr is currently a shareholder in the Raleigh office of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C., where his practice focuses on employment matters and constitutional law. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Farr was an attorney with the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation and counsel to the U.S. Senate and Labor Human Resources Committee. Mr. Farr also served as a law clerk to Judge Frank W. Bullock, Jr., of the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. He received his B.L.S., summa cum laude, from Hillsdale College, where he was co-salutatorian. He received his J.D. from Emory University and an L.L.M. in labor law from Georgetown University.

If confirmed, Charles Barnes Goodwin of Oklahoma will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.  Judge Charles Goodwin currently serves as a United States Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Oklahoma.  In that capacity, he has presided over approximately 500 initial proceedings in felony cases, issued approximately 350 opinions in civil cases, and disposed of over 1000 misdemeanor cases.  Earlier in his career, Magistrate Judge Goodwin was a partner and civil litigator at Crowe & Dunlevy, P.C., and he served as a law clerk to Judge Lee R. West of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma and to then-Magistrate Judge Claire V. Eagan in the Northern District of Oklahoma.  He received his B.A. from the University of Oklahoma and his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where he served on the Oklahoma Law Review.

If confirmed, Mark S. Norris, Sr., of Tennessee, will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.  Mark Norris currently serves as special counsel in the Memphis office of Adams and Reese LLP and as the Senate Majority Leader of the Tennessee General Assembly. His law practice includes a wide variety of civil litigation and business matters. Prior to joining Adams and Reese, Mr. Norris was a Senior Member of Armstrong Allen, PLLC.  Mr. Norris was first elected to represent District 32 in the Tennessee Senate in 2000 and has served as Majority Leader since 2007. He previously served on the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. He received his B.A. from Colorado College, and his J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.

If confirmed, Thomas Lee Robinson Parker, will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. Tommy Parker is currently a shareholder in the Memphis office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, P.C., where he represents clients in civil litigation and criminal matters. Prior to joining Baker Donelson, Mr. Parker served for nine years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Tennessee. Prior to his Federal service, Mr. Parker was an associate with Waring Cox Lawyers in Memphis.  Mr. Parker previously served as the president of the Memphis Bar Association and is a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. He received his B.S. from the University of South Carolina, and his J.D. from the Vanderbilt University School of Law.

If confirmed, William (“Billy”) McCrary Ray, II, of Georgia will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.  Judge Billy Ray currently serves as the Presiding Judge on the Georgia Court of Appeals. Prior to his appointment to the Court of Appeals, Judge Ray served for ten years as a Superior Court Judge on the Gwinnett Judicial Circuit.  Before ascending to the bench, Judge Ray served for six years in the Georgia State Senate and was a partner in the Gwinnett County law firm of Andersen, Davidson & Tate, P.C.,  Judge Ray received his B.B.A from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business, magna cum laude, his M.B.A., from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business, and his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law.

If confirmed, Eli J. Richardson of Tennessee, will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.  Eli Richardson is currently a member in the Nashville office of Bass, Berry & Sims, PLC, where he represents clients in a range of criminal and civil matters and conducts internal corporate investigations.  Mr. Richardson also serves as an adjunct professor at the Vanderbilt University Law School, and previously taught trial advocacy at Belmont University College of Law.  Prior to joining Bass, Berry & Sims, Mr. Richardson served for twelve years in the Department of Justice, including four years as a Special Agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation; seven years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of New Jersey and the Middle District of Tennessee; and one year on detail as Resident Legal Advisor to Serbia. Prior to his Federal service, Mr. Richardson practiced law both at law firms and in a solo practice.  He received his B.S.E., cum laude, from Duke University, and his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School, where he served as a member of the Vanderbilt Law Review.

If confirmed, Tilman Eugene (“Tripp”) Self, III, of Georgia will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.  Judge Tripp Self currently serves on the Georgia Court of Appeals. Before his appointment to the Court of Appeals, Judge Self served for ten years as a Superior Court Judge on the Macon Judicial Circuit. Before ascending to the bench, Judge Self was an attorney with the Macon, Georgia, law firm of Sell & Melton, LLP Before attending law school, Judge Self served as a Field Artillery Officer in the United States Army. Judge Self received his B.S. from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, and his J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law.

June 7, 2017

President Donald J. Trump today announced his fourth wave of Federal judicial nominees.  These nominations follow the successful confirmation of Associate Justice Neil M. Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court, the successful confirmation of Judge Amul R. Thapar of Kentucky to serve as a Circuit Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the nomination of numerous candidates to other judgeships.
 
The President today announced his nomination of these individuals to the following Federal judgeships.
 
If confirmed, Allison H. Eid of Colorado will serve as a Circuit Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.  Justice Allison Eid currently serves as the 95th Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court.  Justice Eid was appointed to the Colorado Supreme Court in 2006 and retained by the people of Colorado in 2008.  Before assuming office, Justice Eid served as Colorado’s Solicitor General and as a tenured Associate Professor of Law at the University of Colorado School of Law, where she authored several articles on federalism and taught courses on constitutional law, legislation, and torts.  Before joining the University of Colorado faculty, Justice Eid practiced commercial and appellate litigation with the Denver office of Arnold & Porter.  Justice Eid has served as a member of the Advisory Committee on Federal Appellate Rules, and she is currently a member of the American Law Institute.  Earlier in her career, Justice Eid clerked for Associate Justice Clarence Thomas of the United States Supreme Court and for Judge Jerry E. Smith of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.  Justice Eid received her A.B. with distinction from Stanford University, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and her J.D. with high honors from the University of Chicago Law School, where she was elected to the Order of the Coif and served as Articles Editor of the University of Chicago Law Review.
 
If confirmed, Ralph R. Erickson of North Dakota will serve as a Circuit Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Judge Ralph Erickson currently serves on the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota. He has served on the District Court of North Dakota since 2003. Judge Erickson served as the Chief Judge of the District of North Dakota from 2009-2016. Prior to his appointment to the Federal bench, Judge Erickson was a judge on the North Dakota state district court for eight years.  He currently serves as the chair of the United States Sentencing Commission’s Tribal Issues Advisory Group. Judge Erickson graduated from Jamestown College, magna cum laude, with a B.A. in History, and received his J.D. from the University of North Dakota, where he served on the North Dakota Law Review.
 
If confirmed, Michael P. Allen of Florida will serve as a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.  Michael P. Allen serves as a Professor of Law and Director of the Veterans Law Institute at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida, where he teaches courses in civil and constitutional law, as well as veterans’ benefits law. Professor Allen is a recognized expert on the law of veterans’ benefits and has testified before Congress and published widely in the field. Before joining the Stetson law faculty sixteen years ago, Professor Allen spent nine years as a civil trial attorney at the law firm Ropes & Gray in Boston, Massachusetts. Professor Allen received his B.A. in American history and political science, summa cum laude, from the University of Rochester, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and his J.D. from the Columbia University School of Law, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.
 
If confirmed, Dabney L. Friedrich of Washington, D.C., will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.  Dabney Friedrich has a lengthy career of distinguished public service.  Most recently, Ms. Friedrich served as a Commissioner on the United States Sentencing Commission.  Before that, Ms. Friedrich served as an associate counsel to the President during the George W. Bush Administration, as Chief Crime Counsel to Senator Orrin G. Hatch, as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, as a trial attorney at the Department of Justice, and as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of California.  Before holding those positions, Ms. Friedrich clerked for Judge Thomas F. Hogan of the District of Columbia District Court.  Ms. Friedrich received her B.A., magna cum laude, from Trinity University, her Diploma in Legal Studies from Oxford University, and her J.D. from Yale Law School, where she served as a senior editor on the Yale Journal on Regulation.
 
If confirmed, Timothy J. Kelly of Washington, D.C., will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.  Timothy Kelly is currently chief counsel for national security and senior crime counsel to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley.  He also serves as the Republican staff director for the Senate’s Caucus on International Narcotics Control.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Kelly spent a decade as a Federal prosecutor, serving first as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia and then as a trial attorney in the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.  Mr. Kelly also spent several years as a civil litigator at Arnold & Porter.  Mr. Kelly clerked for Judge Ronald L. Buckwalter on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.  He received his A.B., cum laude, from Duke University, and his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he was a senior associate editor of the American Criminal Law Review.
 
If confirmed, Trevor N. McFadden of Virginia, will serve as a District Judge on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.  Trevor McFadden currently serves as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice.  Before assuming that role, Mr. McFadden was a partner in the Compliance, Investigations & Government Enforcement Group in the Washington, D.C. office of Baker & McKenzie LLP.  Earlier in his career, Mr. McFadden served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia and as counsel to the United States Deputy Attorney General.  Mr. McFadden also has extensive experience as a law enforcement officer, having served as both a Deputy Sheriff in the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and as a police officer with the Fairfax County Police Department.  Mr. McFadden clerked for Judge Steven M. Colloton on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.  He received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Wheaton College, and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he served on the editorial board of the Virginia Law Review.
 
If confirmed, Amanda L. Meredith of Virginia will serve as a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.  Amanda L. Meredith serves as the deputy staff director and general counsel of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, chaired by Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia. She previously served as general counsel to the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and as benefits counsel to Ranking Member Richard Burr of North Carolina and Ranking Member Larry Craig of Idaho. Prior to her service on the Committee, Ms. Meredith served as director of the Task Force for Backlog Reduction for the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and as a law clerk and executive attorney to Chief Judge Kenneth Kramer, United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Ms. Meredith received her B.S. from the State University of New York at Buffalo, summa cum laude, and her J.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo, magna cum laude, where she was a member of the Buffalo Law Review.
 
If confirmed, Stephen S. Schwartz of Virginia will serve as a Judge on the United States Court of Federal Claims.  Stephen S. Schwartz is currently a partner at Schaerr Duncan LLP in Washington, D.C, where he litigates civil, constitutional, and administrative law matters in Federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court. Prior to joining Schaerr Duncan, Mr. Schwartz served as counsel at Cause of Action, a public interest law firm based in Washington, D.C. Before joining Cause of Action, he was an associate in the litigation practice of Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Washington, D.C. Mr. Schwartz joined Kirkland after serving as a law clerk to Judge Jerry E. Smith on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Mr. Schwartz received his B.A., with distinction, from Yale and his J.D., with honors, from the University of Chicago Law School, where he was an editor of the University of Chicago Law Review.
 
If confirmed, Joseph L. Toth of Wisconsin will serve as a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.  Joseph L. Toth is a veteran of the Judge Advocate General Corps of the United States Navy. In 2011, he served as a field officer in the Rule of Law Field Force Afghanistan (ROLFF-A), where he was stationed with the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division in the Zhari District of Afghanistan. In Zhari, Mr. Toth partnered with Afghan prosecutors to establish the rule of law in the district where the Taliban was formed, and he was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal for his service. He also served as Senior Defense Counsel in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he defended Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guard personnel at courts-martial. Following his military service, Mr. Toth clerked for Judge Daniel A. Manion on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and Judge Robert J. Conrad of the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Most recently, he served as an associate Federal public defender in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mr. Toth received his B.A. from the University of Chicago and his J.D. from the Ave Maria School of Law.
 
President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Judicial Candidates
 
The President today also announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to the following Federal judgeships.
 
If confirmed, Stephanos Bibas of Pennsylvania will serve as a circuit judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.  Professor Bibas serves as Professor of Law and Criminology and as Director of the Supreme Court Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. One of the Nation’s leading experts in criminal law and procedure, Professor Bibas has published two books and more than sixty scholarly articles, and he has argued six cases before the United States Supreme Court. Before joining the law faculty at Penn, Professor Bibas taught at the University of Chicago Law School and the University of Iowa College of Law, after completing a research fellowship at Yale Law School.  From 1998 to 2000, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he prosecuted more than one hundred cases. Before that, Professor Bibas litigated at the law firm of Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C. and served as a law clerk to Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy of the United States Supreme Court and to Judge Patrick E. Higginbotham of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Professor Bibas received his B.A. from Columbia University, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, his B.A. and M.A. from Oxford University, and his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was on the editorial board of the Yale Law Journal.  While at Oxford, he won the First Place Speaker award at the World Universities Debating Championship.
 
If confirmed, Claria Horn Boom of Kentucky will serve as a district judge on the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky.  Claria Horn Boom is currently a partner in the Lexington office of Frost Brown Todd LLC.  Before joining Frost Brown Todd LLC, Ms. Horn Boom served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky, and before that, practiced at King & Spalding in Atlanta, Georgia.  Before holding these positions, Ms. Horn Boom clerked for Judge Pierce Lively of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  Ms. Horn Boom grew up in the Martin County, Kentucky courthouse , where her mother served as clerk of the court.  Ms. Horn Boom earned her undergraduate degree from Transylvania University and her J.D. from the Vanderbilt University Law School.

May 8, 2017

President Donald J. Trump today announced his third wave of Federal judicial appointments.  These appointments follow the successful nomination and confirmation of Justice Neil M. Gorsuch to the Supreme Court of the United States and the nomination of Judge Amul R. Thapar of Kentucky to serve as a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  Specifically, the President today announced his nomination of these individuals to the following Federal judgeships.
 
If confirmed, Amy Coney Barrett of Indiana will serve as a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.  Amy Coney Barrett currently serves as the Diane and M.O. Miller II Research Professor of Law at the Notre Dame University Law School.  Professor Barrett teaches and researches in the areas of federal courts, constitutional law, and statutory interpretation—publishing scholarship in leading legal journals, such as the Columbia, Virginia, and Texas Law Reviews.  Before joining the Notre Dame faculty, Professor Barrett clerked for Associate Justice Antonin Scalia of the Supreme Court of the United States and for Judge Laurence H. Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.  Following her clerkships, as an associate at Miller, Cassidy, Larroca & Lewin in Washington, D.C., she litigated constitutional, criminal, and commercial cases in both trial and appellate courts.  Professor Barrett has also served as a visiting associate professor and John M. Olin Fellow in Law at the George Washington University Law School, and as a visiting associate professor of law at the University of Virginia.  Professor Barrett received her B.A. in English literature, magna cum laude, from Rhodes College, and her J.D., summa cum laude, from the Notre Dame University Law School, where she served as Executive Editor of the Notre Dame Law Review.
 
If confirmed, John K. Bush of Kentucky will serve as a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  John Bush is currently a partner in the Louisville office of Bingham Greenebaum Doll LLP and is Co-Chair of the firm’s Litigation Department.  Mr. Bush practices in complex litigation, including antitrust, securities, financial institutions, insurance, intellectual property, and product liability disputes.  He has extensive litigation experience in state and Federal courts in many jurisdictions and in arbitration proceedings.  Before joining Bingham Greenebaum Doll LLP, Mr. Bush practiced law at Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher LLP in Washington, D.C.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Bush clerked for Judge J. Smith Henley of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.  Mr. Bush received his B.A., summa cum laude, from Vanderbilt University and his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School.
 
If confirmed, Joan L. Larsen of Michigan will serve as a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  Justice Joan Larsen currently serves as the 111th Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court.  Justice Larsen was appointed to the Court in 2015, and was then elected to that Court by the people of Michigan in 2016—winning every county in the state.  Before assuming office, Justice Larsen served on the faculty of the University of Michigan Law School, where she was also special counsel to the Dean.  An award-winning legal scholar, Justice Larsen taught for more than a decade at the University of Michigan, where she received the L. Hart Wright Award for Excellence in Teaching.   Before joining the University of Michigan faculty, Justice Larsen clerked for Associate Justice Antonin Scalia of the Supreme Court of the United States and for Judge David B. Sentelle of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.  Justice Larsen received her B.A. from the University of Northern Iowa and her J.D. from Northwestern University Law School, from which she graduated first in her class and where she served as an Articles Editor on the Northwestern University Law Review.
 
If confirmed, Kevin C. Newsom of Alabama will serve as a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.  Mr. Newsom is currently the chair of the appellate group at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, resident in the firm’s Birmingham office.  Before joining Bradley, Mr. Newsom served as the Solicitor General of Alabama, where he directed the State’s litigation before the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Courts of Appeals, and the Alabama Supreme Court.  Mr. Newsom has argued four cases in the Supreme Court of the United States and has argued more than 35 cases in the United States Courts of Appeals for the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Tenth, and Eleventh, and D.C. Circuits, as well as in state supreme and appellate courts and a Native American tribal appellate court.  In addition to this service, Chief Justice John Roberts has twice appointed Mr. Newsom to the Advisory Committee on Appellate Rules, which advises the Judicial Conference of the United States concerning amendments and improvements in the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Newsom clerked for Associate Justice David Souter of the Supreme Court of the United States and for Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  Mr. Newsom received his B.A., summa cum laude, from Samford University, and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he served as an Articles Editor on the Harvard Law Review.
 
If confirmed, David R. Stras will serve as a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.  Justice David Stras currently serves as a Justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court.  Justice Stras was appointed to the Court in 2010.  Before his appointment to the Minnesota Supreme Court, Justice Stras was a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, while also serving as counsel at the Minneapolis law firm of Faegre & Benson.  Earlier in his career, Justice Stras clerked for Associate Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court of the United States, Judge J. Michael Luttig of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and for Judge Melvin Brunetti of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  Justice Stras received his B.A. with highest distinction from the University of Kansas, his M.B.A. from the University of Kansas, and his J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Criminal Procedure Edition of the Kansas Law Review.
 
If confirmed, David C. Nye of Idaho will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho.  Judge David C. Nye currently serves as an Idaho trial court judge in Pocatello, Idaho.  Judge Nye was appointed to the state trial court in 2007 and was reelected by the people of Idaho to that position in 2010 and 2014.  Previously, Judge Nye was a partner at Merrill & Merrill, Chartered, in Pocatello, Idaho.  Judge Nye received his B.A. and his J.D. from Brigham Young University.
 
If confirmed, Scott L. Palk of Oklahoma will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.  Scott Palk currently serves as the Assistant Dean for Students and Assistant General Counsel at the University of Oklahoma College of Law in Norman, Oklahoma—a position he has held since 2011.  Mr. Palk took this position after 19 years of public service as a state and Federal prosecutor, where he worked on death penalty, organized crime, and terrorism cases.  Mr. Palk earned his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University and his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law.
 
If confirmed, Damien M. Schiff of California will serve as a Judge on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.  Damien Schiff is currently a Senior Attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation, a non-profit legal organization based in Sacramento, California.  Mr. Schiff has extensive experience litigating cases concerning a variety of Federal and state environmental and land-use issues, including Sackett v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a groundbreaking decision in which the United States Supreme Court upheld the right of landowners to challenge Clean Water Act compliance orders issued by the Environmental Protection Agency.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Schiff clerked for Judge Victor J. Wolski of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.  Mr. Schiff received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Georgetown and his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2004.
 
President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Judicial Candidates
 
The President today announced his intent to nominate of these individuals to the following Federal judgeships.
 
If confirmed, Dabney L. Friedrich of Washington, D.C., will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  Dabney Friedrich has a lengthy career of distinguished public service.  Most recently, Ms. Friedrich served as a Commissioner on the United States Sentencing Commission, where she established sentencing policies and practices for the Federal criminal justice system by promulgating guidelines for congressional review and recommending changes in criminal statutes.  Prior to that service, Ms. Friedrich served as an Associate Counsel to the President during the George W. Bush Administration, as Chief Crime Counsel to Senator Orrin G. Hatch, as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, as a trial attorney at the Department of Justice, and as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of California.  Before holding those positions, Ms. Friedrich clerked for Judge Thomas F. Hogan of the District of Columbia District Court.  Ms. Friedrich received her B.A., magna cum laude, from Trinity University, her Diploma in Legal Studies from Oxford University, and her J.D. from Yale Law School, where she served as a Senior Editor on the Yale Journal on Regulation.
 
If confirmed, Terry F. Moorer of Alabama will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.  Judge Terry F. Moorer currently serves as a Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, a position he assumed in 2007.  Before assuming his judgeship, Judge Moorer served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Middle District of Alabama, as a Command Judge Advocate in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, and as an attorney in the Office of Staff Judge Advocate in Fort Rucker, Alabama.  Judge Moorer earned his Associate of Arts from the Marion Military Institute, his B.A. from Huntington College, and his J.D. from the University of Alabama Farrah School of Law.

March 21, 2017

President Donald J. Trump today announced his intent to nominate Judge Amul R. Thapar of Kentucky for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

If confirmed, Amul R. Thapar of Kentucky will serve as a Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The son of Indian-American immigrants, Judge Thapar serves on the District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.  With his 2008 nomination by President George W. Bush and subsequent confirmation and appointment, Judge Thapar became the Nation’s first Article III judge of South Asian descent.   Before his service on the bench, he was the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky.  Before that, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Ohio and the District of Columbia.  He began his legal career in private practice, after clerkships with Judge S. Arthur Spiegel on the District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and then with Judge Nathaniel R. Jones of the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  Judge Thapar received his BS from Boston College in 1991 and his JD from the University of California, Berkeley.