The District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission released the names last week of sixteen applicants vying for retiring District of Columbia Court of Appeals Judge Vanessa Ruiz's seat.
Ruiz, who was appointed to the appellate court in 1994, will retire effective Aug. 31. The applicants include District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz, D.C. Solicitor General Todd Kim and D.C. Inspector General Charles Willoughby, along with a mix of government and private practice attorneys.
The other applicants are:
- Kali Bracey, a partner at Washington’s Jenner & Block;
- Alan Burch, an assistant U.S. Attorney;
- Catharine Easterly, an attorney with the Public Defender Service;
- Gregory Friel, an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice;
- Christopher Handman, a partner at Washington’s Hogan Lovells;
- Geoffrey Klineberg, a partner at Washington’s Kellogg, Huber, Hansen, Todd, Evans & Figel;
- Lorelie Masters, a partner at Washington’s Jenner & Block;
- Roy McLeese III, head of the appellate division in the U.S. attorney’s office;
- Randell Norton, a partner at Washington’s Thompson O’Donnell;
- Vijay Shanker, an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice;
- Walter A. Smith Jr., executive director of D.C. Appleseed;
- Daniel Squire, a partner at Washington’s Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr; and
- Paul Wolfson, also a partner at Wilmer.
The commission is seeking feedback on the applicants in eight categories, including judicial temperament, ethics, leadership, writing skills and community service. All comments, which are kept confidential, are due to the commission by Aug. 15.
A copy of the comment form can be found here, and other comments can also be e-mailed to dc.jnc@dc.gov.
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