Obama Nominates Judges for Two Circuits and New Jersey District

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On Monday, President Barack Obama nominated a longtime Maine attorney and an Oklahoma judge for judgeships in the First and Tenth circuits. He also nominated a New Jersey magistrate judge for the state’s federal district court.

The names sent to the United States Senate included U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert E. Bacharach of Oklahoma, who was nominated for the tenth circuit; William J. Kayatta Jr. from Pierce Atwood LLP , who was nominated for the First Circuit and U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Shipp from New Jersey, who was nominated for the District of New Jersey.

  

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“I am proud to nominate these outstanding candidates to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals,” Obama said of Judge Bacharach and Kayatta.

Bacharach has been serving as a magistrate judge since 1999 in the Western District of Oklahoma. He has served as the Tenth Circuit vice president of the Federal Bar Association since 2007.

Bacharach has dealt with 3,000 civil and criminal issues while serving on the bench, has presided over 400 judicial settlement conferences and has issued over 1,600 reports and recommendations in cases with habeas petitions, prisoner civil rights suits, social security appeals and many other civil issues.

Bacharach worked for 12 years with Crowe & Dunlevy PC as an associate prior to being appointed to his judgeship. He became a shareholder in 1994 with the firm. Bacharach earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1981 and his law degree from the Washington University School of Law in 1985.

Kayatta worked as a partner with Pierce Atwood for over 25 years and is serving by special appointment of the U.S. Supreme Court as special master in Kansas v. Nebraska and Colorado. This is an action that involves an interstate water rights dispute. Back in 1986, he was named a partner with the firm and has practiced trial and appellate litigation, arguing two cases in the U.S. Supreme Court and 35 cases in state and federal appellate courts. Kayatta also acts as a regent at the American College of Trial Lawyers, is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and is a member of the American Law Institute.

Kayatte obtained his undergraduate degree in 1976 from Amherst College and his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1979.

Shipp has been serving as a magistrate judge for the District of New Jersey since 2007 after working four years in the New Jersey attorney general’s office. He first worked there as an assistant attorney general in charge of consumer protection and then as counsel to the attorney general.

“Judge Shipp has a long and distinguished record of service, and I am confident he will serve on the federal bench with distinction,” Obama said.

Shipp previously worked as an associate at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP from 1995 to 2003. In 1987 he earned his bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and in 1994 he earned his law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law.