Obama nominates Halligan and Reyna to federal judgeships

October 2, 2010

Washington, D.C. President Obama made two judicial nominations on September 29, 2010: Caitlin J. Halligan to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and Jimmie V. Reyna to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The President commended the nominees, saying, “At every step of their careers these individuals have performed with excellence and unwavering integrity. I am confident they will serve the American people with distinction on the Circuit Court bench.”

Caitlin Halligan is currently working as General Counsel for the New York County District Attorney’s Office and is nationally-recognized for her appellate practice. She received her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1995 and began her career as a law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit. She also served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and was a private practice lawyer until 1999, when she joined the New York State Attorney General's office. She worked there as Chief of the Internet Bureau, First Deputy Solicitor General and then as Solicitor General until 2007, when she joined the firm of Weil, Gotshal and Manges, LLP. She took her current job with the New York County District Attorney’s Office in January of 2010. In addition to her legal career, she has serves as adjunct faculty at Columbia Law School.

Jimmie Reyna is a partner of the law firm of Williams Mullen, PC in Washington, D.C. He is internationally known as a trade lawyer and is the author of three books on international trade. He is also a leader in the Hispanic legal community. After receiving his law degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1978, he began his career as an associate at the law firm of Shaffer Butt, Thornton & Baer in 1979. He ran his own law firm from 1981 until 1986, when he moved to Washington, D.C. and joined the firm Stewart and Stewart. He has been a partner of Williams Mulllen since 1998.