Today President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate a tenth wave of judicial nominees as follows:
If confirmed, John B. Nalbandian of Kentucky will serve as a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. John Nalbandian is a partner in the litigation practice group of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, where he has practiced since 2000. He is the firm’s lead appellate lawyer and also practices complex litigation in State and Federal courts. He is board certified as a specialist in appellate law. Prior to joining Taft Stettinius, Mr. Nalbandian practiced for five years in the appellate section of a law firm in Washington, D.C. Upon graduation from law school, Mr. Nalbandian clerked for Judge Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. In 2010, the U.S. Senate confirmed him to serve as a board member of the State Justice Institute, a nonprofit organization established by the federal government to improve the administration of justice in state courts. Mr. Nalbandian resides in Union, Kentucky, and is a member of the Kentucky and Ohio Bars. In 2007, Governor Fletcher appointed him as a Special Justice to the Kentucky Supreme Court. He has also served on the Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, as a Board Member of the Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Board of Directors, and as a Board Member of the Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky. Mr. Nalbandian is involved with issues of importance to minority communities as a board member of the Greater Cincinnati Minority Counsel Program, and as a board member of the Asian-Pacific Bar Association of Southwest Ohio. Mr. Nalbandian earned his B.S., magna cum laude, from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif and served as managing editor of the Virginia Law Review.
If confirmed, Joseph L. Falvey, Jr., of Michigan will serve as a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Joseph Falvey is a 30 year veteran of the United States Marine Corps, having served 14 of those years on active duty. In 2011, he retired from the Marine Corps as the Commander of the Marine Corps’ Reserve Legal Support Section. He previously served as a prosecutor, defense counsel, or judge in over 300 trials, and served as an appellate judge on the United States Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals. In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he was mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and served in Afghanistan in 2002. In his civilian career, Mr. Falvey served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the national security unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan from 2008-2011. Before joining the Department of Justice, Mr. Falvey spent over a dozen years as a professor of law at two law schools in Michigan. Currently, Mr. Falvey is the District Counsel for the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District. Mr. Falvey earned his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, his J.D., cum laude, from Notre Dame Law School, where he was editor-in-chief of the Journal of College and University Law, and his masters of law (LL.M.) with honors from the Judge Advocate General’s School of the Army.
If confirmed, Alan D. Albright of Texas will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Judge Alan Albright is a partner in the Austin office of Bracewell LLP, where his practice focuses on a wide range of complex commercial and civil matters, with a particular emphasis on intellectual property and patent litigation. From 1992 to 1999, Judge Albright served as a United States Magistrate Judge in the Austin Division of the Western District of Texas. For several years, he also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law, where he taught trial advocacy, and in 2017, he was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers. Judge Albright earned his B.A., with honors, from Trinity University and his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, where he was a member of the Texas Law Review.
If confirmed, Susan Brnovich of Arizona will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. Judge Susan Brnovich currently serves as a trial court judge on the Maricopa County Superior Court, where she has served since 2009. She has presided over criminal, civil and family court calendars. Prior to becoming a judge, she served for five years as a commissioner on the Maricopa County Superior Court, where she presided over numerous criminal jury trials. Prior to assuming the bench, Judge Brnovich served for eight years as prosecutor with Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Judge Brnovich earned her B.B.A., M.S., and J.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
If confirmed, J. Campbell Barker of Texas will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Cam Barker serves as Deputy Solicitor General in the Texas Attorney General’s Office. In that role, he argues appeals on behalf of the State of Texas in State and Federal courts, and he litigates and advises on other cases and matters of significance to Texas. He previously was a partner at Texas litigation boutique Yetter Coleman LLP, where he practiced commercial and intellectual property law. Before entering private practice, Mr. Barker served for four years in the criminal division of the United States Department of Justice, where he also served on detail to the Eastern District of Virginia as a Special Assistant United States Attorney. Earlier in his career, Mr. Barker served as a law clerk to Judge William C. Bryson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and to Judge John M. Walker, Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Mr. Barker earned his B.S., summa cum laude, from Texas A&M University and his J.D., with highest honors, from the University of Texas School of Law.
If confirmed, Courtney Dunbar Jones of Virginia will serve as a Judge on the U.S. Tax Court. Courtney Dunbar Jones serves as a senior attorney in the Tax-Exempt and Government Entities division in the Office of Chief Counsel of the Internal Revenue Service. Prior to joining the Chief Counsel’s office six years ago, Mrs. Jones practiced for three years in the exempt organizations and intellectual property practice groups of the Washington, D.C.-based firm Caplin & Drysdale. Before relocating to the Washington area, she practiced for four years at Bird, Loechl, Brittain & McCants, a boutique law firm in Atlanta. Since 2015, Mrs. Jones has served on the Board of Trustees of Hampton University, where she earned her B.S., magna cum laude and was the recipient of the President’s Award for Exceptional Achievement. Mrs. Jones then earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she served for two years as the editor in chief of the Harvard BlackLetter Law Journal, (which has since been renamed the Harvard Journal on Racial & Ethnic Justice). During law school, Mrs. Jones was recognized for a variety of achievements; she was named a scholar in the Earl Warren Legal Training Program sponsored by the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, and received the National Bar Institute African American Law Student Fellowship.
If confirmed, Jeremy D. Kernodle of Texas will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Jeremy Kernodle is currently a partner at Haynes and Boone, LLP, where he founded and chairs the firm’s False Claims Act practice group and focuses on representing healthcare providers and government contractors in Federal courts throughout the country. Before entering private practice, Mr. Kernodle served as an attorney-advisor in the Office of Legal Counsel at the United States Department of Justice. Before that, Mr. Kernodle was an associate at Covington and Burling LLP in Washington, D.C., where his practice focused on complex commercial and appellate litigation. Earlier in his career, Mr. Kernodle served as a law clerk to Judge Gerald Bard Tjoflat of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Mr. Kernodle earned his B.A. and B.B.A., both summa cum laude, from Harding University, and his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School, where he graduated first in his class.
If confirmed, Dominic W. Lanza of Arizona will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. Dominic Lanza serves as the Chief and Executive Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Before joining the United States Attorney’s Office nine years ago, Mr. Lanza practiced for five years as an associate in the constitutional and appellate law practice group of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP. After graduating from law school, Mr. Lanza served as a law clerk to Judge Pamela A. Rymer of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Mr. Lanza earned his A.B., summa cum laude, from Dartmouth College, where he was an All-Ivy League, All-America, and Academic All-America football player and was named the outstanding member of his graduating class, and his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he served as editor and transition chair of the Harvard Law Review.
If confirmed, Maureen K. Ohlhausen of Virginia will serve as a Judge on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Maureen Ohlhausen was confirmed as a commissioner on the Federal Trade Commission in 2012, and currently serves as its Acting Chairman. Prior to her confirmation, she was a partner and head of the FTC practice group in the Washington-based firm Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP. From 1998 through 2008, Commissioner Ohlhausen held a variety of posts at the FTC, starting as an attorney in the Office of the General Counsel and concluding as Director of the Office of Policy Planning. Before joining the staff of the FTC, Commissioner Ohlhausen served as a staff attorney on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and later as a law clerk to Judge David B. Sentelle of that court. Upon graduation from law school, Commissioner Ohlhausen served as law clerk to Judge Robert J. Yock of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. She earned her B.A., with distinction, from the University of Virginia, and her J.D., with distinction, from the George Mason University School of Law.
If confirmed, Robert R. Summerhays of Louisiana will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. Judge Robert Summerhays serves as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Louisiana and recently completed an eight-year term as Chief Bankruptcy Judge. Prior to assuming the bench in 2006, Judge Summerhays was a partner in the Dallas office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, where his practice focused on commercial, corporate, multidistrict, and securities litigation. Upon graduation from law school, Judge Summerhays served as a law clerk to Judge W. Eugene Davis of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Judge Summerhays earned his B.A., with high honors, from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He also earned his J.D., with high honors, from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif, and served as an associate editor of the Texas Law Review.
If confirmed, Michael J. Truncale of Texas will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Mike Truncale is a partner at Orgain Bell & Tucker, LLP, where he has handled a wide range of litigation matters, including products liability and commercial disputes, since joining the firm as an associate in 1985. During his time in private practice, Mr. Truncale has devoted considerable time to public service. Governor Perry appointed Mr. Truncale to serve a four-year term as a regent of the Texas State University System and Governor Abbott appointed him to serve a six-year term as a board member of the Prepaid Higher Education Tuition Board. Mr. Truncale is Board Certified in civil trial by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and is Board Certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He also has extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution, serving as a mediator in more than 2,000 cases in state and federal courts throughout Texas. Mr. Truncale received his B.B.A., magna cum laude, from Lamar University, his M.B.A. from the University of North Texas, and his J.D. from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.
If confirmed, Wendy Vitter of Louisiana will serve as a District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Wendy Vitter serves as General Counsel of the Roman Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. She previously served in the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, beginning as a law clerk and ultimately rising to chief of the Felony Trials Division. During that period, she focused on homicide prosecutions and litigated over 100 jury trials. Previously, Ms. Vitter practiced maritime and complex litigation at a boutique firm. She is also involved in her community and recently concluded a three-year term as President of the Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans Board of Directors. Ms. Vitter earned her B.A. from Sam Houston State University, and her J.D. from Tulane University Law School.
