Print this page

Senator Feinstein Announces Judicial Nomination Process

- Senator announces process to recommend nominees to President-elect Obama for U.S. District Court judges, U.S. attorneys and U.S. marshals-

        Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today announced that she has begun a process to recommend nominees to President-elect Obama for the positions of U.S. District Court Judge, U.S. Attorney, and U.S. Marshal. 

            Senator Feinstein has established bipartisan advisory committees in each of California’s four federal districts.  The five-member committees will be responsible for carefully screening applications, interviewing applicants, and recommending finalists to Senator Feinstein.

           David S. Casey, Jr., a San Diego attorney and longtime advisor to Senator Feinstein, will oversee the committees. 

           "I take seriously my responsibility to recommend nominees to the President and believe that a bipartisan, merit-based process is the best way to go,” Senator Feinstein said. “These committees are made up of highly regarded attorneys who know their legal communities well. I am confident that the committee members will do their utmost to help me identify the most qualified candidates for the positions of U.S. District Court Judge, U.S. Attorney, and U.S. Marshal."

              Individuals interested in applying for the positions of district judge, U.S. Attorney, and U.S. Marshal should complete the application which will be available at http://feinstein.senate.gov.

              Applicants should send one electronic copy of the completed application to Judicial_Advisory_Commitees@feinstein.senate.gov and 5 paper copies to:

Mr. David S. Casey, Jr.
Statewide Chair
Feinstein Judicial Advisory Process
110 Laurel Street
San Diego, CA 92101

             Applications are currently being accepted and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.  Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible. 

               The members of Senator Feinstein’s Judicial Advisory Committees are:

STATEWIDE CHAIR:

David S. Casey, Jr.:  Mr. Casey is a senior partner at Casey, Gerry, Schenk, Francavilla, Blatt, & Penfield LLP.  He has been named Lawyer of the Year by the San Diego County Bar Association and is a past president of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, now known as the American Association for Justice.

CENTRAL DISTRICT:

Holly Fujie (Chair):  Ms. Fujie is a Shareholder at Buchalter, Nemer, Fields & Younger and the President of the State Bar of California.

Hon. Lourdes G. Baird:  Judge Baird is a former U.S. District Court Judge for the Central District of California as well as a former U.S. Attorney.  She is currently a mediator and arbitrator at JAMS, a private provider of dispute resolution services.

Hon. Elwood Lui:  Justice Lui is a former Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal and currently a partner at Jones Day.   He has received the State Bar of California’s Witkin Medal, among other awards.

Yolanda Orozco:  Ms. Orozco is a partner at Jones Day.  She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and recently completed a three-year tenure as the chairwoman of the Standing Committee on Attorney Discipline for the Central District of California.
 
Bart Williams:  Mr. Williams is a partner and the former co-managing partner of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP.  He is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney.  In 2003, the American Lawyer named him one of the nation’s top 45 lawyers under the age of 45.

EASTERN DISTRICT:

Nancy Miller (Chair):  Ms. Miller is the president of the Sacramento law firm of Hyde, Miller, Owen & Trost, where she serves as chief counsel to local government entities including Sacramento and San Joaquin counties. 

Lowell T. Carruth:  Mr. Carruth is a partner with McCormic Barstow LLP in Fresno.  He has served as President of the Association of Defense Counsel for Northern California and was selected as Trial Lawyer of the Year in 1997 by the California Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates.

William Hahesy:  Mr. Hahesy is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney and the past president of the Federal Bar Association, San Joaquin Valley Chapter.  He currently practices criminal defense and complex civil litigation at his own firm in Fresno.

Fredricka McGee:  Ms. McGee has been legal counsel to California Assembly Speakers Fabian Nuñez and Antonoio Villaraigosa.  In 2007, the California Lawyer named her one of 43 Lawyers of the Year, and she has also received the Lawyer of the Year award from the California Association of Black Lawyers.

Charles J. Stevens:  Mr. Stevens is a former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District and has twice been appointed as a lawyer representative for the Eastern District to the Ninth Circuit.  He is a founding partner of Stevens, O’Connell & Jacobs LLP.

NORTHERN DISTRICT:

Louise Renne (Chair):  Ms. Renne is a partner at Renne, Sloan, Holtzman & Sakai Public Law Group LLP.  She is the former San Francisco City Attorney, a past member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and a former president of California Women Lawyers.

Angela Bradstreet:  Ms. Bradstreet is the California Labor Commissioner.  She is a former President of the Bar Association of San Francisco and a recipient of the Margaret Brent Award, the highest award given by the American Bar Association in recognition of the accomplishments of women lawyers.

Robert Feldman:  Mr. Feldman is a partner at Quinn, Emanuel, Uquhart, Oliver & Hedges.  He is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney and a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Raymond C. Marshall:  Mr. Marshall is the former President of the State Bar of California and a past member of the American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary.  He is a partner at Bingham McCutchen LLP.

Hon. Fern Smith:  Judge Smith is a former U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District and the past Director of the Federal Judicial Center.  She is a mediator and arbitrator at JAMS, a private provider of dispute resolution services.

SOUTHERN DISTRICT:

David Noonan (Chair):  Mr. Noonan is a partner at Kirby, Noonan, Lance & Hoge LLP.  He is a former president of the San Diego County Bar Foundation and the San Diego County Bar Association and the 2005 recipient of the Daniel T. Broderick Award for trial excellence and professionalism.

Alan Brubaker:  Mr. Brubaker is a partner at Wingert, Grebing, Brubaker & Goodwin LLP.  He is the president-elect of the California Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a former president of the San Diego Barristers Club, and a former vice president of the San Diego County Bar Association.
 
Nadia Bermudez:  Ms. Bermudez is an attorney at Brown Law Group, where she practices business litigation.  She is on the board of directors of the San Diego Women Lawyers Club and the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association. 

Bonnie Dumanis:  Ms. Dumanis is the District Attorney for San Diego County.  She also serves on the California State Bar Association Board of Governors and is the President of the California District Attorneys Association.

Beatrice Kemp:  Ms. Kemp is the general counsel of the San Diego Convention Center Corporation.  She is a former president of the Lawyers Club of San Diego and a past director of the California Association of Black Lawyers.

###

You will need to have Real One Player installed on your computer to be able to listen or watch the clips above. Real One Player is free software that lets you play audio and video files. Download Real One Player