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A - D

Abelson, Adam B.
   District of Maryland. Nominated 5/15/24.

Judge Adam Abelson has been a U.S.  Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland since 2023. Prior to his judicial service, Judge Abelson worked in private practice at Zuckerman Spaeder from 2012 to 2023, rising from associate to partner. He served as a law clerk for Judge Andre M. Davis on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit from 2011 to 2012 and Judge Catherine C. Blake on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland from 2010 to 2011.

Judge Abelson received his J.D., magna cum laude, from New York University School of Law in 2010 and his B.A., cum laude, from Princeton University in 2005.

Abudu, Nancy G.
   Eleventh Circuit. Nominated 1/3/23. 
   Confirmed 5/18/23.   

Nancy Gbana Abudu is the Deputy Legal Director and Director for Strategic Litigation at the Southern Poverty Law Center, where she has worked since 2019. Abudu was previously the Legal Director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida from 2013 to 2018 and Senior Staff Counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union Voting Rights Project from 2005 to 2013. She served as a staff attorney for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit from 2002 to 2004. Abudu was an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom from 1999 to 2001.

Ms. Abudu received her J.D. from Tulane University School of Law in 1999 and her B.A. from Columbia University in 1996. 

Aframe, Seth R.
   First Circuit. Nominated 10/4/23.

Seth R. Aframe has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire since 2007. He has served as Chief of the Criminal Division in that office since early 2023 and Appellate Chief since 2010. Previously, Mr. Aframe was an associate at Choate Hall & Stewart from 2000 to 2003. Mr. Aframe served as a law clerk to Judge Jeffrey R. Howard on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit from 2003 to 2007 and to Justice Judith A. Cowin on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1999 to 2000.

Mr. Aframe received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center in 1999 and his B.A., summa cum laude, from Tufts University in 1996.

Alexakis, Georgia N.
   Northern District of Illinois. Nominated 2/27/24.
   Confirmed 5/1/24.

Georgia N. Alexakis has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney and the Chief of Appeals for the Criminal Division in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois since 2022. Ms. Alexakis previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in that office from 2013 to 2021. From 2021 to 2022, she worked as a partner at Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila in Chicago. From 2008 to 2012, she was an associate and then a partner at Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott, also in Chicago. Ms. Alexakis served as a law clerk for Judge Milton I. Shadur on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois from 2007 to 2008 and for Judge Marsha S. Berzon on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2006 to 2007.

Ms. Alexakis received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in 2006 and her A.B., magna cum laude, from Harvard University in 2000. Between college and law school, from 2000 to 2003, Ms. Alexakis worked as an associate and then as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group in Chicago.

Ali, Amir H.
   District of Columbia. Nominated 2/3/24.

Amir Ali has been President and Executive Director of the MacArthur Justice Center since 2021 and Director of the Criminal Justice Appellate Clinic at Harvard Law School since 2018. Previously, Mr. Ali worked in private practice as an associate at Jenner & Block in Washington, D.C., from 2013 to 2017. He also served as a law clerk for Justice Marshall Rothstein on the Supreme Court of Canada from 2012 to 2013 and Judge Raymond C. Fisher on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2011 to 2012.

Mr. Ali received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 2011 and his B.S.E. from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada in 2008.

AliKhan, Loren L.
   District of Columbia. Nominated 5/4/23.
   Confirmed 12/5/23.

Judge Loren AliKhan has served as a judge on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals since 2022. Previously, Judge AliKhan held the position of Solicitor General for the District of Columbia from 2018 to 2022, and as Deputy Solicitor General from 2013 to 2017. From 2010 to 2013, Judge AliKhan worked in the Supreme Court and Appellate Practice Group at O’Melveny & Myers in Washington, D.C. She served as a Bristow Fellow in the Office of the Solicitor General at the U.S. Department of Justice from 2008 to 2009. Judge AliKhan served as a law clerk for Judge Thomas L. Ambro on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 2007 to 2008 and for Judge Louis H. Pollak on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 2006 to 2007.

Judge AliKhan received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center in 2006 and her B.A., summa cum laude, from Bard College at Simon’s Rock in 2003.

Allen, Ann Marie Mclff
   District of Utah. Nominated 1/10/24
   Confirmed 4/10/24.

Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen has been a judge on Utah’s Fifth District Court in Cedar City since 2020. Judge Allen previously worked at Southern Utah University, where she served as Special Counsel and Director of Ethics and Compliance from 2016 to 2017, then as General Counsel from 2018 to 2020. She also worked as a solo practitioner from 2013 to 2020. From 2007 to 2013, Judge Allen served as a Deputy County Attorney for the Iron County Attorney’s Office in Cedar City. She joined that office after working in private practice at the law firm Jensen, Graff & Barnes from 2001 to 2004, and at Allen Law from 2004 to 2007.

Judge Allen received her J.D. from Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School in 1997 and her B.A. from Brigham Young University in 1994.

Almadani, Mónica Ramírez
   Central District of California. Nominated 1/23/23.
   Confirmed 11/9/23.

Since 2021, Mónica Ramírez Almadani has been the President and CEO of Public Counsel, the largest pro bono public interest law firm in the nation. Previously, from 2019 to 2021, she worked as a Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor of Law at the University of California, Irvine School of Law. From 2017 to 2019, she worked as a Special Counsel at the law firm of Covington & Burling and, from 2015 to 2017, as a Special Assistant Attorney General in the California Attorney General’s Office. From 2009 to 2015, Ms. Ramírez Almadani held various positions at the U.S. Department of Justice, including Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California from 2012 to 2015; Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General from 2011 to 2012; and Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division from 2009 to 2011. From 2005 to 2009, she was a Staff Attorney and Equal Justice Works Fellow at the American Civil Liberties Union. From 2004 to 2005, she served as a law clerk for Judge Warren J. Ferguson on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Ms. Ramírez Almadani received her J.D. from Stanford Law School in 2004 and her A.B. from Harvard University in 2001.

Austin, Jacquelyn D.
   District of South Carolina. Nominated 11/6/23.
   Confirmed 1/24/24.

Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin has been a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of South Carolina since 2011. Previously, Judge Austin worked in private practice at Womble Carlyle Sandridge and Rice, as an associate from 1999 to 2006 and as a partner from 2006 to 2011. Prior to that, she worked as an associate at Hardaway Law Firm from 1997 to 1999. Judge Austin served as a law clerk for Judge Matthew J. Perry Jr. on the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina from 1996 to 1997.

Judge Austin received her J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1996 and her B.S. from the University of South Carolina School of Engineering in 1989.

Baggio, Amy M.
   District of Oregon. Nominated 11/27/23.
   Confirmed 2/6/24.

Judge Amy Baggio has been a judge on the Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland, Ore., since 2019. From 2013 to 2019, Judge Baggio worked as a solo practitioner at her own firm, Baggio Law, also in Portland. Previously, Judge Baggio served in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Oregon, first as a Research and Writing Attorney from 2002 to 2005, then as an Assistant Federal Public Defender from 2005 to 2012. Prior to that, she served as a staff attorney in the Portland Office of the Metropolitan Public Defender from 2001 to 2002.

Judge Baggio received her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School in 2001 and her B.A., cum laude, from Wake Forest University in 1995.

Ballou, Robert S.
   Western District of Virginia. Nominated 1/23/23.
   Confirmed 3/7/23.

Judge Robert Ballou has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Virginia since 2011. Prior to joining the bench, Judge Ballou was a partner at Johnson, Ayers & Matthews in Roanoke, Va., where he worked from 1992 to 2011. From 1988 to 1991, Judge Ballou was an associate at Christian, Barton, Epps, Brent & Chappell in Richmond, Va. He served as a law clerk for Judge Peter Beer on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana from 1987 to 1988.

Judge Ballou received his J.D. in 1987 and his B.A in 1984, both from the University of Virginia.

Bazis, Susan M.
   District of Nebraska. Nominated 1/10/24.
   Confirmed 4/9/24.

Judge Susan Bazis has been a U.S. Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska since 2017. From 2007 to 2016, she served as a Douglas County Court Judge, including as the Presiding Judge from 2010 to 2013. Judge Bazis previously worked in private practice as a solo practitioner from 2001 to 2007 and as an associate at Paragas Law Offices from 1991 to 2001. From 1996 to 1999, Judge Bazis was an associate at the law firm of Kelly, Lehan, & Hall, after serving as an Assistant Public Defender in the Douglas County Public Defender’s Office from 1994 to 1996.

Judge Bazis received her J.D. from Creighton University School of Law in 1993 and her B.S., magna cum laude, from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1990.

Becerra, Jacqueline
   Southern District of Florida. Nominated 11/6/23.
   Confirmed 2/27/24.

Judge Jacqueline Becerra has been a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of Florida since 2019. She previously worked as a Shareholder at the law firm Greenberg Traurig in Miami, Fla., from 2004 to 2018. Judge Becerra served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, first as an Assistant U.S. Attorney from 1999 to 2002 and then as a Special Counsel from 2002 to 2004. She first joined the U.S. Department of Justice through its Honors Program, serving in the Civil Division Federal Programs Branch from 1994 until 1997 and then in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia from 1997 to 1999.

Judge Becerra received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 1994 and her B.A. from the University of Miami in 1991.

Benjamin, DeAndrea G.
   Fourth Circuit. Nominated 1/3/23.
   Confirmed 2/9/23.

DeAndrea Benjamin has served as a judge on South Carolina’s Fifth Judicial Circuit since 2011. Previously, Judge Benjamin was a partner at the Gist Law Firm, where she worked from 2001 to 2011. She also served as a municipal court judge from 2004 to 2011. From 1999 to 2001, Judge Benjamin was an Assistant Attorney General in the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and from 1998 to 1999, she was an Assistant Solicitor in the Juvenile & Family Court Division of the Fifth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Judge Benjamin served as a law clerk for Judge L. Casey Manning on South Carolina’s Fifth Judicial Circuit from 1997 to 1998. 

Judge Benjamin received her J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1997 and her B.A. from Winthrop University in 1994.

Berner, Nicole G.
   Fourth Circuit. Nominated 11/27/23.
   Confirmed  3/19/24.

   Nicole Berner is General Counsel to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), where she has practiced as in-house counsel since 2006. Previously, Ms. Berner served as a staff attorney for Planned Parenthood Federation of America in Washington, D.C. from 2004 to 2006. She worked as a litigation associate at Jenner & Block in Washington, D.C., from 2000 to 2004 after working as a visiting attorney at Yigal Arnon & Co. in Jerusalem, Israel, from 1999 to 2000. Ms. Berner served as a law clerk for Judge Thelton E. Henderson on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California from 1997 to 1998 and for Judge Betty B. Fletcher on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 1996 to 1997.

Ms. Berner received her J.D., Order of the Coif, from University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, and her M.P.P. from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley in 1996. She received her B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of California, Berkeley in 1988. She is a resident of Takoma Park, Maryland. 

Bjelkengren, Charnelle Marie
   Eastern District of Washington. Nominated 1/23/23.

Charnelle Marie Bjelkengren has served as a judge on the Washington State Superior Court since 2019.  Judge Bjelkengren previously worked as an administrative law judge for Washington State’s Office of Administrative Hearings from 2013 to 2019. From 2001 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2013, she served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.

Judge Bjelkengren received her J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law in 2000 and her B.A. from Mankato State University (now Minnesota State University), cum laude, in 1997. 

Bloomekatz, Rachel S.
   Sixth Circuit. Nominated 1/3/23.
   Confirmed 7/18/23.

Rachel Bloomekatz is a solo practitioner at Bloomekatz Law, which she founded in 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. From 2016 to 2019, Ms. Bloomekatz was a principal at the law firm of Gupta Wessler. She was previously an associate at Jones Day in Columbus, Ohio from 2013 to 2015. Ms. Bloomekatz served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Attorney General in Boston, Massachusetts from 2010 to 2011. From 2011 to 2012, she worked as a law clerk for Justice Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court. From 2009 to 2010, Ms. Bloomekatz served as a law clerk for Chief Justice Margaret Marshall on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. From 2008 to 2009, Ms. Bloomekatz worked as a law clerk for Judge Guido Calabresi on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Ms. Bloomekatz received her J.D. from UCLA School of Law in 2008 and her A.B., magna cum laude, from Harvard University in 2004. 

Brailsford, Amanda
District of Idaho. Nominated 1/31/23.
   Confirmed 5/4/23.

Judge Amanda Brailsford has served as a judge on the Idaho Court of Appeals since 2019. She previously was a founding partner at Andersen Banducci in Boise, Idaho, from 2013 to 2017. Judge Brailsford also worked at Holland & Hart as an associate from 1995 to 2002 and as a partner at the firm from 2003 to 2013. She served as a law clerk for Judge Thomas G. Nelson on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 1993 to 1995.

Judge Brailsford received her J.D. from the University of Idaho College of Law in 1993, and her B.A. from the University of Idaho in 1989.

Brisco, Cristal C.
   Northern District of Indiana. Nominated 11/27/23.
   Confirmed 1/24/24.

Judge Cristal Brisco has been a judge on the St. Joseph County Superior Court in South Bend, Ind., since 2021, and has concurrently served as a judge on the Indiana Commercial Court since 2022. She previously held the position of magistrate judge for the Circuit Court of St. Joseph County in Mishawaka, Ind., from 2018 to 2021. Prior to that, Judge Brisco served as General Counsel to Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, from 2017 to 2018 and as Corporation Counsel for the City of South Bend from 2013 to 2017. She began her career as an associate at Barnes & Thornburg LLP where she worked from 2006 to 2013.

Judge Brisco received her J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 2006 and her B.A., cum laude, from Valparaiso University in 2002.

Brookman, Matthew P.
   Southern District of Indiana. Nominated 1/3/23.
   Confirmed 3/29/23.

Matthew Brookman has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of Indiana since 2016. Previously, Judge Brookman worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana from 2002 to 2016, and as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri from 1999 to 2002. He worked as an associate at the law firm Herzog, Crebs & McGhee from 1997 to 1999, as a state court prosecutor in Jefferson County, Mo., from 1994 to 1997, and as an associate for Brown & James in St. Louis, Mo., from 1993 to 1994.

Judge Brookman received his J.D. from the Washington University School of Law in 1993 and his B.A. from DePauw University in 1990.

Bryan, Jeffrey
   District of Minnesota. Nominated 7/27/23.
   Confirmed 11/29/23.

Jeffrey Bryan has served as a judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals since 2019. From 2013 to 2019, he was a judge in the Second Judicial District in Saint Paul. Judge Bryan previously worded as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota from 2007 to 2013 and was an associate at the law firm of Robins, Kaplan, Miller, & Ciresi from 2003 to 2007. Judge Bryan served as a law clerk for Judge Paul A. Magnuson on the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota from 2002 to 2003.

Judge Bryan received his J.D. from Yale Law School in 2002 and his B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Texas at Austin in 1998.

Bulsara, Sanket J.
   Eastern District of New York. Nominated 2/8/24.
   Confirmed 5/15/24.

Judge Sanket Bulsara has been a U.S.  Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of New York since 2017. From January 2017 to May 2017, Judge Bulsara served as the Acting General Counsel of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he had been the Deputy General Counsel for Appellate Litigation, Adjudication, and Enforcement since 2015. Prior to that, Judge Bulsara worked at Wilmer Cutler as an associate from 2005 to 2008, a counsel from 2009 to 2011, and a partner from 2012 to 2015. For six months between 2007 and 2008 he served as a Special Assistant District Attorney at the Kings County (Brooklyn) District Attorney’s Office, and he worked as an associate at Munger, Tolles & Olson in Los Angeles from 2003 to 2004. He served as a law clerk for Judge John G. Koeltl on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 2002 to 2003.

Judge Bulsara received his J.D. from Harvard Law School, cum laude, in 2002 and his A.B., magna cum laude, from Harvard College in 1998.

Cartwright, Tiffany M. 
   Western District of Washington. Nominated 1/3/23.
   Confirmed 7/12/23.

Tiffany Cartwright has been a partner at the civil rights law firm MacDonald Hoague & Bayless since 2018. Ms. Cartwright was an associate at the firm from 2014 to 2018. She was previously an associate at Jenner & Block from 2012 to 2014. Ms. Cartwright served as a law clerk for Judge Betty B. Fletcher on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2011 to 2012 and Justice Dana Fabe on the Alaska Supreme Court from 2010 to 2011.

Ms. Cartwright received her J.D. from Stanford Law School in 2010 and her B.A. from Stanford University, with distinction, in 2007. 

Choudhury, Nusrat Jahan
   Eastern District of New York. Nominated 1/3/23.
   Confirmed 6/15/23.

Nusrat Choudhury has served as the Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois since 2020. From 2008 to 2020, Ms. Choudhury held numerous positions with the American Civil Liberties Union in New York, last serving as the Deputy Director of the Racial Justice Program from 2018 to 2020. She also worked as a Senior Staff Attorney for the Racial Justice Program from 2016 to 2018, a Staff Attorney for the Racial Justice Program from 2013 to 2016, a Staff Attorney for the National Security Project from 2009 to 2013, and a Marvin M. Karpatkin Fellow with the Racial Justice Program from 2008 to 2009. Ms. Choudhury served as a law clerk for Judge Barrington D. Parker, Jr. on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 2007 to 2008 and for Judge Denise L. Cote on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 2006 to 2007.

Ms. Choudhury received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 2006, her M.P.A. from the Princeton School of Public & International Affairs in 2006, and her B.A., summa cum laude, from Columbia University in 1998.

Chung, Cindy K.
   Third Circuit. Nominated 1/3/23.
   Confirmed 2/13/23.

Cindy Chung has served as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania since 2021. Ms. Chung served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania from 2014 to 2021. From 2009 to 2014, Ms. Chung worked as a trial attorney in the Criminal Section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. From 2003 to 2009, she served as an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office. Ms. Chung worked as a law clerk for Judge Myron Thompson on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama from 2002 to 2003.

Ms. Chung received her J.D. from Columbia Law School in 2002 and her B.A. from Yale University in 1997.

Clarke, Jessica G. L.
   Southern District of New York. Nominated 1/3/23.
   Confirmed 3/16/23.

Jessica Clarke has served as Chief of the Civil Rights Bureau at the New York State Office of Attorney General since 2019. Ms. Clarke previously worked at the boutique litigation firm Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady Ward & Maazel as Of Counsel from 2018 to 2019 and as an Associate from 2016 to 2018. From 2010 to 2016, she served as a Trial Attorney in the Housing & Civil Enforcement Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Ms. Clarke worked as a law clerk for Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio from 2008 to 2010.

Ms. Clarke received her J.D., cum laude, from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 2008 and her B.A. from Northwestern University.

Coggins, Dena Michaela
   Eastern District of California. Nominated 2/8/24.

Judge Dena Michaela Coggins is the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court of the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, having served in that position since 2023 and as a Superior Court judge since 2021. Judge Coggins was previously an Administrative Law Judge with the State of California’s Office of Administrative Hearings, in the General Jurisdiction Division from 2018 to 2021 and the Special Education Division from 2015 to 2017. Between her positions as an Administrative Law Judge, Judge Coggins served as a supervising attorney and hearing officer at the State of California Victim Compensation Board from 2017 to 2018. From 2013 to 2015 she worked as a Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary for the Governor of California. Prior to her state government service, Judge Coggins worked as an associate at Downey Brand L.L.P. from 2012 to 2013 and at Morrison & Foerster from 2007 to 2012.

Judge Coggins received her J.D. from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 2006 and her B.S. from California State University, Sacramento in 2003.

Colom, Scott W.
   Northern District of Mississippi. Nominated 1/23/23.

Scott Colom has served as the District Attorney for the 16th Judicial District of Mississippi since 2016. Mr. Colom practiced law at the Colom Law Firm from 2011 to 2016. While in private practice, Mr. Colom served in several part-time roles, including as the City Prosecutor for Columbus, Miss., from 2013 to 2016; as a Municipal Court Judge in Aberdeen, Miss., from 2012 to 2013; and as an Interim Justice Court Judge for Lowndes County, Miss., from 2011 to 2012. From 2009 to 2011, as a Skadden Fellow, he was a staff lawyer at the Mississippi Center for Justice.

Mr. Colom received his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2009 and his B.A. from Millsaps College in 2005.

Court, Michelle Williams
   Central District of California. Nominated 4/30/24.

Judge Michelle Williams Court has been a judge on the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles County since 2012, and supervising judge in the Court’s civil division since 2023. Previously, Judge Court worked as an attorney and later vice president and general counsel at Bet Tzedek Legal Services from 2002 to 2011. Before that, Judge Court worked as a senior associate at Milberg, Weiss from 2000 to 2002; as a fellow and civil rights specialist at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1999 to 2000; as a litigation associate at Litt & Marquez from 1995 to 1999; as a project attorney at the ACLU of Southern California from 1994 to 1995; and as an associate at Gilbert Kelly Crowley & Jennett from 1993 to 1994.

Judge Court received her J.D. from Loyola Law School in 1993 and her B.A. from Pomona College in 1988. 

Crews, Kato
   District of Colorado. Nominated 2/27/23.
   Confirmed 1/10/24.

Judge Kato Crews has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of Colorado since 2018. Judge Crews was previously a founding partner at Hoffman Crews, where he worked from 2013 to 2018. He was also a founding partner at Mastin Hoffman & Crews and worked there from 2011 to 2013. He was an associate at Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons from 2001 to 2008 and a partner from 2008 to 2010. From 2000 to 2001, Judge Crews served a staff attorney at the National Labor Relations Board in Denver, Colorado.

Judge Crews received his J.D. from the University of Arizona in 2000, and his B.A. from the University of Northern Colorado in 1997.

Cummings, Jeffrey I.
   Northern District of Illinois. Nominated 1/31/23.
   Confirmed 9/12/23.

Judge Jeffrey Cummings has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Illinois since 2019. Judge Cummings was previously co-managing partner at Miner, Barnhill & Galland, where he worked from 1989 to 2019. He served as a law clerk for Judge Ann Claire Williams on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois from 1987 to 1989.

Judge Cummings received his J.D. from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, cum laude, in 1987, and his B.A., with high honors, from Michigan State University in 1984.

Damian, Melissa
   Southern District of Florida. Nominated 11/6/23.
   Confirmed 2/28/24.

Judge Melissa Damian has been a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of Florida since 2022. Previously, Judge Damian worked in private legal practice as Of Counsel at Damian & Valori from 2013 to 2021, appellate counsel at The Ferraro Law Firm from 2010 to 2013, and an associate at Kenny Nachwalter from 1997 to 1999. Judge Damian also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida from 1999 to 2010. She served as a law clerk for Judge Ursula Ungaro on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida from 1995 to 1997.

Judge Damian received her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1995 and her B.A. from Princeton University in 1990. 

Daniel, Jeremy C.
   Northern District of Illinois. Nominated 3/21/23.
   Confirmed 5/17/23.

Jeremy C. Daniel has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois since 2014. Mr. Daniel was previously an associate at the law firm of Katten Muchin Rosenman in Chicago, Illinois, from 2007 to 2013. He served as a law clerk for Judge Virginia M. Kendall on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois from 2013 to 2014.

Mr. Daniel received his J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2007 and his B.S. from Illinois Wesleyan University in 2000. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.

De Alba, Ana
   Ninth Circuit. Nominated 4/17/23.
   Confirmed 11/14/23.

Judge Ana de Alba has served as a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of California since 2022. Previously, she served as a judge on the Superior Court of California in Fresno County from 2018 to 2022. Judge de Alba was a partner at the law firm of Lang, Richert & Patch from 2013 to 2018. She was an associate at the firm from 2007 to 2013.

Judge de Alba received her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law in 2007 and her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley in 2002.

DeClercq, Susan K.
   Eastern District of Michigan. Nominated 5/4/23.
   Confirmed 10/4/23.

Susan DeClercq has been Director and Counsel of Special Investigations at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Mich., since 2022. Ms. DeClercq previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan from 2004 to 2022, where she had several leadership roles, including that of Chief of the Civil Division. Ms. DeClercq worked for the law firm of Skadden Arps in Washington, D.C., as a litigation associate from 2001 to 2004. From 1999 to 2001, she served as a law clerk for Judge Avern Cohn on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Ms. DeClercq received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Wayne State University School of Law in 1999 and her B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1995.

Delaney, Michael A.
   First Circuit. Nominated 1/31/23. (Nomination withdrawn 5/18/23.)

Michael Delaney has been a Director and Shareholder at McLane Middleton in Manchester, N.H., since 2013. Mr. Delaney served as Attorney General of New Hampshire from 2009 to 2013 and as Legal Counsel to the Governor of New Hampshire from 2006 to 2009. Previously, he worked in the New Hampshire Department of Justice in several roles from 1999 to 2006, including as Deputy Attorney General from 2004 to 2006, Senior Assistant Attorney General from 2002 to 2004, Assistant Attorney General from 2000 to 2002, and as a staff attorney from 1999 to 2000. From 1994 to 1999, he was an associate at Wiggin & Nourie in Manchester, N.H.

Mr. Delaney received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1994, and his B.A. from College of the Holy Cross in 1991.

DuBose, Melissa R.
   District of Rhode Island. Nominated 2/3/24.
   Confirmed 3/12/24.

Judge Melissa DuBose has been an associate judge on the Rhode Island District Court in Providence since 2019. Previously, Judge DuBose practiced law as an in-house counsel for Schneider Electric in Foxboro, Mass., from 2008 to 2019. She began her legal career as a prosecutor in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, where she worked from 2005 to 2008.

Judge DuBose received her J.D. from Roger Williams School of Law in 2004 and her B.A. from Providence College in 1990. Before becoming an attorney, Judge DuBose worked for almost 10 years as a high school U.S. history and social studies teacher and completed law school while continuing to teach full time.

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