WASHINGTON, D.C., June 30, 2021 – This morning the White House unveiled President Biden’s fifth slate of judicial nominees, featuring two circuit court nominees, four district court nominees, two nominees to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and a nominee to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Like previous slates, these nominees will bring much needed racial, gender, and professional diversity to our courts. Notable among this list is Jennifer Sung, nominee to the Ninth Circuit, who is a former union organizer and who has represented labor organizations and employees. She would also be the first AAPI judge from Oregon to sit on the Ninth Circuit. Carolyn Lerner, nominee to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, has an extensive background in civil rights and employment law. Armando Omar Bonilla would become the first Hispanic judge to ever sit on the Court of Federal Claims. Jane Beckering and Shalina Kumar, both nominated to federal district court judges in Michigan, are former consumer advocates. Michael Nachmanoff, nominee to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, previously served as Chief Federal Public Defender, and is a former champion of criminal justice reform.
Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron issued the following statement:
“Our courts have been stacked in favor of the wealthy and powerful for far too long, and President Biden is upholding his promise of making the courts fairer for workers, people of color, consumers, and criminal justice reform advocates with his latest slate of exceptional judicial nominees. Our democratic system of government is premised on the fundamental human value of providing equal justice for all, and adding talented jurists to the federal bench with such an exceptionally diverse range of professional expertise and lived experience is a testament to our nation’s best values. We look forward to the Senate continuing to confirm these nominees with bipartisan support at an expeditious and efficient pace.”