President Biden Names Thirty-Fifth Round of Judicial Nominees and One New Nominee to Serve as U.S. Attorney

The President is announcing his intent to nominate four individuals to federal district courts, two individuals to the Court of International Trade, and three individuals to the District of Columbia Superior Court—all of whom are extraordinarily qualified, experienced, and devoted to the rule of law and our Constitution.

These choices also continue to fulfill the President’s promise to ensure that the nation’s courts reflect the diversity that is one of our greatest assets as a country—both in terms of personal and professional backgrounds.

This will be President Biden’s thirty-fifth round of nominees for federal judicial positions, bringing the number of announced federal judicial nominees to 176.

The President is also announcing his intent to nominate one individual to serve as U.S. Attorney.  This is an official who will be indispensable to upholding the rule of law as a top federal law enforcement official.

This candidate was chosen for her devotion to enforcing the law, professionalism, experience and credentials, dedication to pursuing equal justice for all, and commitment to the independence of the Department of Justice.

The President has now announced 72 nominees to serve as U.S. Attorneys.

United States District Court Announcements

1. Margaret Garnett: Candidate for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Margaret Garnett served as the Deputy United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2021 until May 2023, and presently serves as the Special Counsel to the United States Attorney in that same district. Previously, Ms. Garnett was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York from 2005 to 2017, which included service as Chief of Appeals from 2016 to 2017 and Chief of the Violent Crimes/Violent & Organized Crime Unit from 2011 to 2014. From 2018 to 2021, Ms. Garnett was Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation, and from 2017 to 2018, she served as Executive Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice in the New York State Attorney General’s Office. Ms. Garnett was an associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz L.L.P. from 2000 to 2004. She served as a law clerk for Judge Gerard E. Lynch on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 2004 to 2005. Ms. Garnett received her J.D. from Columbia Law School in 2000, her M.A. and M. Phil. from Yale University in 1995 and 1997, and her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame in 1992.

2. Judge Jennifer L. Hall: Candidate for the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware

Judge Jennifer L. Hall has served as a United States Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware since 2019. Previously, Judge Hall served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware from 2011 to 2015 and served as Chief of the office’s Civil Division from 2015 to 2019. Before that, Judge Hall was an associate at Fish & Richardson P.C. from 2008 to 2011. Judge Hall served as a law clerk for Judge Kent A. Jordan on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 2007 to 2008 and Judge Sharon Prost on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit from 2006 to 2007. She received her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2006, her Ph.D. and M. Phil in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University in 2003 and 2000, and her B.S. from the University of Minnesota in 1997.

3. Brandy R. McMillion: Candidate for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

Brandy R. McMillion has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan since 2015. Ms. McMillion has served as the Chief of the office’s General Crimes Unit since 2022. Previously, Ms. McMillion was a senior litigation associate at Bryan Cave L.L.P. from 2012 to 2015, an associate at Perkins Coie L.L.P. from 2007 to 2012, and an associate at Pepper Hamilton L.L.P. from 2006 to 2007. She received her J.D. from George Washington University Law School in 2006 and her B.S.E. and her M.S.E. from the University of Michigan in 2001 and 2002.

4. Judge Karoline Mehalchick: Candidate for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

Judge Karoline Mehalchick is the Chief United States Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, where she has served since 2013. Previously, Judge Mehalchick was a partner at Oliver, Price & Rhodes from 2008 to 2013. She was an associate at the firm from 2002 to 2007. Judge Mehalchick served as a law clerk for Judge Trish Corbett on the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas from 2001 to 2002. She received her J.D. from Tulane Law School in 2001 and her B.A. from Pennsylvania State University in 1998.

United States Court of International Trade Announcements

1. Lisa Wang: Candidate for the U.S. Court of International Trade

Lisa Wang has served as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Enforcement and Compliance in the U.S. Department of Commerce since 2022. Previously, Ms. Wang was a partner at Picard, Kentz and Rowe L.L.P from 2016 to 2021. Ms. Wang was also a Senior Attorney in the Office of the Chief Counsel for Trade Enforcement and Compliance in the U.S. Department of Commerce from 2014 to 2016, and an Assistant General Counsel in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative from 2012 to 2014. Before that, she was the Senior Import Administration Officer for the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China, from 2009 to 2012 and an associate with Dewey and LeBoeuf L.L.P. from 2006 to 2009. Ms. Wang received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2006 and her B.S. from Cornell University in 2002.

2. Joseph A. Laroski: Candidate for the U.S. Court of International Trade

Joseph Laroski has been a partner at Schagrin Associates since 2021. Mr. Laroski served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations and Director of Policy at the U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, from 2017 to 2021 and before that was an Attorney-Advisor for the U.S. International Trade Commission from 2016 to 2017. From 2008 to 2012, Mr. Laroski was an associate general counsel at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. He has also previously been a counsel at King and Spalding L.L.P. from 2012 to 2016, an associate at Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. from 2006 to 2008, an associate at Willkie, Farr & Gallagher L.L.P. from 2004 to 2006, and an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom L.L.P. from 1999 to 2004. Mr. Laroski served as a law clerk for Judge Dominick L. DiCarlo on the U.S. Court of International Trade from 1998 to 1999. He received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 1997, his LL.M from Georgetown University Law Center in 1998, and his B.S.F.S. from Georgetown’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service in 1993.

United States Attorney Announcement

1. April Perry: Candidate for U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois

April Perry is Senior Counsel, Global Investigations and Fraud and Abuse Prevention, at GE HealthCare. Prior to GE HealthCare, Ms. Perry was the General Counsel for Ubiety Technologies from 2019 to 2022. From 2017 to 2019, Ms. Perry served as the Chief Deputy State’s Attorney and Chief Ethics Officer for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Ms. Perry previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois from 2004 to 2016. She held numerous leadership positions in that office, including as Supervisory Litigation Counsel from 2011 to 2016, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator from 2010 to 2016, Civil Rights and Hate Crimes Coordinator from 2014 to 2016, and as a Deputy Chief in Narcotics and Gangs from 2010 to 2011. Ms. Perry served as a law clerk for Judge Joel M. Flaum on U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit from 2003 to 2004. She received her J.D., magna cum laude, in 2003 and her B.S., magna cum laude, in 2000, both from Northwestern University.

District of Columbia Superior Court Announcements

1. Special Master Katherine E. Oler: Candidate for the District of Columbia Superior Court

Special Master Katherine E. Oler has served as a court-appointed Special Master of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims since 2017. Previously, Special Master Oler served as an Air Force Judge Advocate from 1996 to 2017, retiring from active duty as a colonel. Among other assignments, she served as the Air Force’s Chief Prosecutor and Chief Government Appellate Counsel at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland from 2014 to 2017, Staff Judge Advocate at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph in Texas from 2012 to 2014, and Deputy Chief Trial Judge of the Air Force from 2008 to 2011. Special Master Oler received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 1996 and her B.A. from Wellesley College in 1993. 

2. Judge Judith E. Pipe: Candidate for the District of Columbia Superior Court

Judge Judith E. Pipe has served as a Magistrate Judge for the District of Columbia Superior Court since 2020. Previously, Judge Pipe served as a staff attorney and a supervising attorney with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia from 2007 to 2019. She received her J.D. from the Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law, magna cum laude, in 2007 and her B.A. from American University, cum laude, in 2003. 

3. Charles J. Willoughby Jr.: Candidate for the District of Columbia Superior Court

Charles J. Willoughby Jr. has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia since 2014. He has held multiple leadership roles in that office, and was appointed as a Deputy Chief in the Major Crimes Section of the Superior Court Division in 2023. Previously, Mr. Willoughby was an associate attorney at Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. from 2013 to 2014 and an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division of the Virgin Islands Department of Justice from 2009 to 2013. He received a J.D. from Howard University School of Law in 2007, a B.A. from Belmont University in 2002, and a B.A. from Morehouse College in 2000.

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