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R - U 

Rankin, Kelly H.
   District of Wyoming. Nominated 1/10/24.

Judge Kelly Rankin has been the Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of Wyoming since 2012. Previously, Judge Rankin served as Criminal Chief in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming from 2010 to 2012. Before that, she served as counsel to Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal in 2010 and as U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming from 2008 to 2010. Prior to becoming U.S. Attorney, Judge Rankin worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the district from 2003 to 2008. From 1999 to 2003, Judge Rankin served as the Park County Attorney after working as a Deputy County Attorney in the Park County Attorney’s Office from 1995 to 1998. She was also a Deputy County Attorney in the Lincoln County Attorney’s Office from 1994 to 1995.

Judge Rankin received his J.D. from the University of Wyoming College of Law in 1994 and his B.S. from the University of Wyoming in 1990.

Ramirez, Irma Carrillo
  Fifth Circuit. Nominated 4/17/23.
   Confirmed 12/4/23.

Judge Irma Ramirez has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Texas since 2002. Previously, Judge Ramirez worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas from 1995 to 2002. Prior to that, she was an associate at the law firm of Locke Purnell Rain Harrell from 1991 to 1995.

Judge Ramirez received her J.D. from the Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1991 and her B.A. from West Texas State University in 1986.

Reyes, Ana C.
   District of Columbia. Nominated 1/3/23.
   Confirmed 2/15/23.

Ana C. Reyes is a partner at Williams & Connolly in Washington, D.C., where she has worked since 2001. Prior to being elevated to partner in 2009, Ms. Reyes served as an associate with the firm from 2001 to 2009. She worked as a law clerk for Judge Amalya Kearse on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 2000 to 2001.

Ms. Reyes received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 2000, her Masters in International Public Policy from the Johns Hopkins School of International Studies, with honors, in 2014, and her B.S., summa cum laude, from Transylvania University in 1996.

Reyes, Ramon E., Jr,
   Eastern District of New York. Nominated 1/23/23.
   Confirmed 11/8/23.

Ramon Reyes has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of New York since 2006. Judge Reyes previously held the position of Assistant U.S. Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York from 1998 to 2006. From 1995 to 1998, he was a litigation associate at O’Melveny & Myers in New York. He served as a law clerk for Judge David G. Trager on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York from 1994 to 1995. In 1993, Judge Reyes worked as a legislative attorney for the New York City Council.

Judge Reyes received his LL.M. from New York University School of Law in 1993, his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 1992, and his B.S. from Cornell University in 1988.

Rikelman, Julie
   First Circuit. Nominated 1/3/23.
   Confirmed 6/20/23.

Julie Rikelman is the U.S. Litigation Director for the Center for Reproductive Rights, where she has worked since 2011. From 2006 to 2011, Ms. Rikelman held numerous positions at NBC Universal Inc., including Vice President of Litigation. She was a senior associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York from 2004 to 2006 and an associate at Feldman & Orlansky in Anchorage, Alas., from 2001 to 2004. From 1999 to 2001, Ms. Rikelman was a Blackmun Fellow at the Center for Reproductive Rights. She served as a law clerk for Judge Morton Greenberg on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 1998 to 1999 and for Justice Dana Fabe on the Alaska Supreme Court from 1997 to 1998.

Ms. Rikelman received her J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1997 and her A.B., magna cum laude, from Harvard College in 1993. Born in Kiev, Ukraine, Ms. Rikelman immigrated to the U.S. with her family in 1979.

Ritz, Kevin G.
   Sixth Circuit. Nominated 3/21/24.

Kevin G. Ritz has served as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee since 2022. From 2005 to 2022, Mr. Ritz worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, where he served as Appellate Chief from 2018 to 2022, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney from 2011 to 2022, and Criminal Appellate Chief from 2010 to 2018. Earlier in his career, Mr. Ritz served as a law clerk for Judge Julia Smith Gibbons on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit from 2004 to 2005. Mr. Ritz also worked as Chair of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Section and President of the Memphis/Mid-South Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.

Mr. Ritz received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2004, his M.S. from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in 1999, and his B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Virginia in 1997.

Russell, John D.
   Northern District of Oklahoma. Nominated 10/24/23.

John D. Russell has been a shareholder at the Oklahoma law firm GableGotwals since 2015. Previously, Mr. Russell was in private practice at Fellers Snider from 2002 to 2014. From 1995 to 2002 he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma and from 1991 to 1993 he was a trial attorney in the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. He was an associate at Bracewell & Patterson in Washington, D.C. from 1988 to 1991.

Mr. Russell received his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1988 and his B.S. from Oklahoma State University in 1985.

Russell, Sarah F.
   District of Connecticut. Nominated 10/4/23.

Sarah F. Russell is a law professor and director of the Civil Justice Clinic at Quinnipiac University School of Law in North Haven, Connecticut, where she has taught since 2011. Previously, Ms. Russell was a lecturer in law and director of the Arthur Liman Public Interest Program at Yale Law School from 2007 to 2010. From 2005 to 2007, Ms. Russell was an Assistant Federal Defender in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Connecticut. She served as a law clerk for Judge Chester J. Straub on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 2003 to 2005 and for Chief Judge Michael B. Mukasey on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 2002 to 2003.

Ms. Russell received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 2002 and her B.A. from Yale College in 1998.

Schopler, Andrew G.
   Southern District of California. Nominated 1/23/23.
   Confirmed 3/7/23.

Judge Andrew G. Schopler has served as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of California since 2016. From 2004 to 2016, Judge Schopler was an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. He worked at Rudolf and Maher in Chapel Hill, North Carolina from 1998 to 2004 He was a solo practitioner from 1997 to 1998. Judge Schopler received his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1997 and his B.A., summa cum laude, from Dartmouth College in 1994. He has served in the U.S. Army Reserve and California Army.
National Guard since 2014.

Schulte, Eric
   District of South Dakota. Nominated 2/8/24.

Eric Schulte has been a partner at the law firm of Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith since 2006. He was previously an associate at the firm from 2000 to 2005. From 1999 to 2000, Mr. Schulte served as a law clerk to the South Dakota Second Judicial Circuit in Sioux Falls.

Mr. Schulte received his J.D. from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 1999 and his B.A. from the University of South Dakota in 1994.

Schydlower, Leon
   Western District of Texas. Nominated 1/10/24.
   Confirmed 3/22/24.

Judge Leon Schydlower has been a U.S. Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas since 2015. He previously worked in private practice as a solo practitioner from 2002 to 2015 and was a partner and associate at El Paso’s Kemp Smith law firm from 2000 to 2002. Before returning home to El Paso, Judge Schydlower worked as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii from 1998 to 2000. From 1996 to 1998, he served as a trial attorney on active duty in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Judge Schydlower was in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 2000 to 2004 and has served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps since 2010, where he currently holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Judge Schydlower received his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1995 and his B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1993.

Semper, Jamel K.
   District of New Jersey. Nominated 9/18/23.
   Confirmed 11/29/23.

Jamel Semper has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey since 2018. He currently serves as Deputy Chief of that Office’s Criminal Division. From 2013 to 2018, Mr. Semper worked as an assistant prosecutor in the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and from 2008 to 2013 as an assistant prosecutor in the Union County Prosecutor’s Office. Mr. Semper served as a law clerk for Judge Harold Fullilove on New Jersey’s Essex County Superior Court from 2007 to 2008.

He received his J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law in 2007 and his B.A. from Hampton University in 2003.

Shaw-Wilder, Detra
   Southern District of Florida. Nominated 3/21/24.

Detra Shaw-Wilder has been an attorney in private practice at Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton in Coral Gables, Fla., since 1994, rising from associate to partner. From 2015 to 2017, Ms. Shaw-Wilder was managing partner of the firm and has served as general counsel for the firm since 2017.

Ms. Shaw-Wilder received her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1994 and her B.S. from the University of Florida in 1990.

Sherriff, Kirk E.
   Eastern District of California. Nominated 11/15/23.
   Confirmed 1/31/23.

Kirk Sherriff has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California since 2002. Since 2015, he has served as Chief of the District’s Fresno office. Previously, Mr. Sherriff was an associate at the law firm White & Case, from 1995 to 1996 and then again from 1997 to 2001. He served as a law clerk for Chief Justice Deborah T. Poritz on the Supreme Court of New Jersey from 1996 to 1997.

Mr. Sherriff received his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1995 and his B.A., cum laude, from Columbia University in 1990. Before law school, Mr. Sherriff worked as a high school teacher in public schools in Mississippi.

Simmons, James E. Jr.
   Southern District of California. Nominated 1/23/23.  
   Confirmed 3/9/23.

Judge James Edward Simmons Jr. has been a judge on the California Superior Court since 2017. He is currently the Supervising Judge of the North County Branch of the San Diego Superior Court. From 2006 to 2017, he was a Deputy District Attorney in the San Diego District Attorney’s Office. In 2005, Judge Simmons was a Deputy City Attorney in the San Diego City Attorney’s Office. Judge Simmons received his J.D from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2004 and B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley in 2001. 

Smith, Micah W.J.
   District of Hawaii. Nominated 9/11/23.
   Confirmed 11/29/23.

Micah Smith has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii since 2018. He is currently Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division and Criminal Civil Rights Coordinator in that office. He has also been the office’s Chief of Appeals and Legal Strategy since 2022. Previously, Mr. Smith served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York from 2012 to 2018. From 2008 to 2012, he was an associate and counsel at O’Melveny & Myers in Washington, D.C. Mr. Smith worked as a law clerk for Justice David H. Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court from 2007 to 2008 and Judge Guido Calabresi on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 2006 to 2007.

Mr. Smith received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 2006 and his B.A., summa cum laude, from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania in 2003.

Sneed, Julie S.
   Middle District of Florida. Nominated 11/6/23.
   Confirmed 2/28/24.

Judge Julie S. Sneed has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of Florida since June 2015. She previously worked as a partner at Akerman Law Firm from 2012 to 2015; an associate and later a partner at Fowler White Boggs Banker from 2004 to 2012; and a litigation associate at Trenam, Kemker from 1997 to 2000. Judge Sneed served as a law clerk for Judge James D. Whittemore on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida from 2000 to 2004 and Judge Chris W. Altenbernd on the Florida Second District Court of Appeal from 1995 to 1997.

Judge Sneed received her J.D. from Florida State University College of Law in 1994 and her B.S. from the University of Florida in 1991.

Sooknanan, Sparkle L.
   District of Columbia. Nominated 2/27/24.
Sparkle L. Sooknanan has been the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division since 2023. She previously served as a Deputy Associate Attorney General in the Department of Justice from 2021 to 2023, after first working in the Department as an appellate attorney in the Civil Division from to 2012 to 2013. From 2014 to 2021, Ms. Sooknanan worked in private practice at Jones Day, becoming a partner at the firm in 2020. Prior to that, she served as a law clerk for Justice Sonia Sotomayor on the U.S. Supreme Court from 2013 to 2014, for Judge Guido Calabresi on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 2011 to 2012, and for Judge Eric N. Vitaliano on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York from 2010 to 2011.

Ms. Sooknanan received her J.D., summa cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School in 2010, her M.B.A. with distinction from Hofstra University in 2003, and her B.S., summa cum laude, from St. Francis College in 2002.

Subramanian, Arun
   Southern District of New York. Nominated 1/23/23.
   Confirmed 3/7/23.

Arun Subramanian is a partner at Susman Godfrey in New York, where he has worked since 2007. Mr. Subramanian served as a law clerk for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court from 2006 to 2007, Judge Gerard E. Lynch on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 2005 to 2006, and Judge Dennis Jacobs on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 2004 to 2005.

Mr. Subramanian received his J.D. from Columbia Law School in 2004 and his B.A. from Case Western Reserve University in 2001.

Theeler, Camela C.
   District of South Dakota. Nominated 2/8/24.

Judge Camela Theeler has been a judge for the Second Judicial Circuit of the South Dakota Unified Judicial System since 2018. Judge Theeler previously served as an Assistant U.S.  Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota from 2012 to 2018. Prior to that, she was a partner at Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun from 2008 to 2012, and an associate at the firm from 2003 to 2008. She worked as an associate at the Morgan Theeler Law Firm from 2002 to 2003 and served as a law clerk for the First Judicial Circuit of the South Dakota Unified Judicial System from 2001 to 2002.

Judge Theeler received her J.D. from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 2000 and her B.A. from the University of South Dakota in 1998.

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