[ by Melanie Gretchen ]

Two female prosecutors were confirmed overwhelmingly by the Senate for seats on the Federal Courts.   Brooklyn Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela Ki Mai Chen, confirmed by voice vote, will serve in the Eastern District.of New York, located in Brooklyn.  A Manhattan Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Polk Failla was confirmed by a 91-0 vote for the bench in the Southern District of New York, located in downtown Manhattan.

Ms. Panela Chen, nominated by ...   President Barack Obama, had served since 1998 as chief of the criminal division in the civil rights section of the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney's office.  Loretta Lynch, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, praised her associate, saying that Ms. Chen "is not just a brilliant lawyer, but a true public servant, dedicated to the principles of fairness and equality."  Ms. Chen brings significant diversity to the federal courts.  She is racially a minority, being of Chinese American descent.  She also is one of a few openly gay women on the federal bench, according to U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, who recommended her.

Ms. Failla, who was nominated by ...  the President last year, is chief of the criminal appeals unit in the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office.  She joined that ofice in 2000.  Prior to that, she worked in the litigation practice of Morgan Lewis & Bockius.  Her confirmation fills 1 of 6 vacancies in Manhattan federal court.

As of Monday, there are 87 federal judicial vacancies, and 32 candidates lined up for nomination.  Later this week, the confirmation of another woman will be voted upon by the Senate.  

For further details, go to [Reuters, 3/4/13].