Would be first Dominican American on Federal Bench in New York.

[ by Howard Haykin ]

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer has recommended Vernon Broderick, 49, a partner with Weil, Gotshal & Manges, as a candidate for U.S. district judge in the Southern District of New York.  Mr. Schumer's recommendation statement was submitted to President Obama on Wednesday, 11/21.  If nominated and approved by the U.S. Senate, Mr. Broderick would become the first Dominican American on the federal bench in New York.

Mr. Broderick, who graduated from Harvard Law in 1988, began his law career with Weil, Gotshal, then joined the U.S. Department of Justice in 1994 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York.  There he focused on criminal investigations into narcotics and gangs. 

From 1999 to 2002, Mr. Broderick served as chief of the Violent Gangs Unit for the U.S. Attorney's office in the SDNY.   He rejoined Weil, Gotshal in 2002, where he has handled white collar criminal matters involving environmental law violations, securities fraud, and RICO.

Pending Federal Judge Appointments.    There are 166 federal judge vacancies nationwide and 86 pending judicial nominees for current and future vacancies, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. There are 6 empty District Judge seats in the Southern District. 

Pending nominees for those seats include: Valerie Caproni, former FBI general counsel; Lorna Schofield, longtime Debevoise & Plimpton attorney;  Nelson Roman, NY First Appellate Division Judge; Katherine Polk Failla, Assistant U.S. Attorney and former Morgan, Lewis & Bockius lawyer; and,  NY state judge Analisa Torres.

For further details, go to:   [Reuters, 11/23/12].