NAPABA Applauds the Nomination of James C. Ho to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

WASHINGTON — Today, President Trump nominated James C. Ho to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. If confirmed, Ho would be the first Asian Pacific American to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and would be the sixth active Asian Pacific American federal appellate judge in the nation.

“Jim is one of the foremost appellate litigators in the nation and we strongly support and applaud his nomination to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit,” said Cyndie M. Chang, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Jim has been a leader in NAPABA for close to a decade. He is widely respected throughout the NAPABA membership and he is consulted by both sides of the aisle.”

NAPABA recommended Ho to Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit earlier this year.

He is co-chair of the Appellate and Constitutional Law practice group at the law firm of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher. He has presented over 45 oral arguments in federal and state courts nationwide, including 16 arguments before the Fifth Circuit. He has argued and won cases before both the U.S. Supreme Court and the entire Fifth Circuit en banc.

Ho has extensive experience in all three branches of government: as former chief counsel for Senator Cornyn, as an appointee at the U.S. Department of Justice, and as a law clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Most recently, he was the first Asian Pacific American ever appointed to serve as the solicitor general of Texas, the state’s chief appellate and Supreme Court litigator, responsible for defending the state’s most important programs and policies against legal attack.

Born in Taiwan, Ho arrived in the U.S. at the age of 1, and became a U.S. citizen at age 9. He is an active member of the Asian Pacific American community. He is co-chair of the NAPABA Judiciary & Executive Nominations & Appointments Committee, and he has written and spoken on a variety of occasions about the role of Asian Pacific Americans in the law. Ho has been recognized for his leadership and honored by organizations throughout the Asian Pacific American community, both nationally and in Texas, including the President’s Award from NAPABA, the Award for Outstanding Contributions to Asian Pacific American Leadership from the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership, the Justice David Wellington Chew Award from the Asian Pacific Interest Section of the State Bar of Texas, the Community Leader Award from the Dallas Asian American Bar Association, the Award for Outstanding Contributions in Law from the Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce, and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the SMU Asian Pacific American Law Students Association.

Ho has also received numerous other awards and recognitions, including the Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service from the Secretary of Defense. He is a three-time recipient of the Supreme Court Best Brief Award from the National Association of Attorneys General. He has also been named as a leading appellate lawyer by Chambers, Benchmark, Law360, The Best Lawyers in America®, The Legal 500, Texas Super Lawyers, and D Magazine.

NAPABA commends President Trump for nominating Ho to the bench, and thanks Senators Cornyn and Cruz of Texas for recommending him to the White House. NAPABA also urges the Senate to quickly confirm Ho to the bench.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at 202-775-9555 or [email protected].

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 50,000 attorneys and over 80 national, state, and local bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.

NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).