Boxer Praises Senate Confirmation of L.A. Attorney Paul Watford for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Former Federal Prosecutor Has Been Praised by Legal Experts From Across the Political Spectrum

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) issued the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm Los Angeles attorney Paul Watford to serve on the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

When he is sworn in, he will be only the second African American serving on the Ninth Circuit.

Senator Boxer said, “It is great news that the Senate has confirmed Paul Watford, an exceptionally talented attorney, to serve on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has a breadth of experience as a former prosecutor and a top appellate litigator and will make an excellent addition to the federal bench. However, I am very disappointed that more of my Republican colleagues did not join us in backing this highly qualified nominee.”

You can read Senator Boxer’s full statement in support of his nomination below:

I rise today to support Paul Watford, a California nominee for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals whose nomination is before us today.

Mr. Watford has been nominated for a seat that is designated as a judicial emergency, which means that it is critical that we move swiftly to confirm him.

I was pleased when President Obama nominated Mr. Watford to serve on the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has a wide breadth of experience, ranging from public service to the private sector, and he will make an excellent addition to the federal bench.

Let me say a few words about his background.

Mr. Watford was born in Garden Grove, California.

He is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, and received his law degree from the University of California at Los Angeles, where he graduated with honors and was an editor of the UCLA Law Review.

Following law school, he clerked for Judge Alex Kozinski on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, then clerked for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the United States Supreme Court.

From1997 through 2000, Mr. Watford served as a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, where he handled a variety of criminal trial and appellate matters for the office, including major fraud investigations.

After his tenure as a prosecutor, Mr. Watford entered private practice – first with Sidley & Austin, then with his current law firm, Munger Tolles, where he is a partner specializing in appellate casework and complex commercial litigation.

In addition to his record as a lawyer, Mr. Watford has served in bar associations and professional committees. He has served as Co-Chair of the American Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Committee, and he is a member of the Central District Court’s Magistrate Selection Panel.

The American Bar Association has given him their highest rating – unanimously well qualified.

Mr. Watford has earned the respect of attorneys who know his work. For example, Daniel Collins, who clerked for Justice Scalia and served as an attorney in both Bush administrations, said this about Mr. Watford:

“He just embodies the definition of judicial temperament — very level-headed and even-keeled. … I don’t think he’ll approach the job with any kind of agenda other than to do what is right and consistent with precedent as he understands it.”

And Jeremy Rosen, a partner at Horvitz & Levy and former president of the Los Angeles Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society, said Mr. Watford is a nominee many conservatives could support:

“I know he has the respect of anyone who has come into contact with him. He is exceptionally bright and well qualified …”

I would like to submit letters from the following for the record: Daniel Collins, Jeremy Rosen, Eugene Volokh and Henry Weissmann.

In conclusion, Mr. Watford is a talented lawyer who has earned the respect of his peers for his work in the public and private sectors. He will be a great addition to the federal bench, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for him today.

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