TRANSCRIPT: Majority Leader Schumer Remarks at Senate Judiciary Committee Introducing Sanket Bulsara, Nominee To Be District Judge For The Eastern District Of New York

For Immediate Release

Date: March 6, 2024

CONTACT:  Alex Nguyen (Schumer), [email protected]

Washington, D.C.   Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke before the Senate Judiciary Committee, introducing Magistrate Judge Sanket Bulsara, nominated by President Biden to serve as District Judge for the Eastern District of New York. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I thank you Ranking Member Graham, my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee. As you know, I enjoyed serving my time on the committee, both for sixteen years in the House and sixteen years in the Senate on the Judiciary Committee

So, I’m honored to come before the committee today to introduce a truly remarkable nominee, Sanket Bulsara, who I was proud to recommend to President Biden to serve as a District Judge for the Eastern District of New York, which includes Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island. That’s seven million people in that one district.

Judge Bulsara made history in 2017 as the first South Asian American judge to serve in any court within the Second Circuit when he was appointed the Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District.

New York’s South Asian population is one of the fastest growing in New York and in America, I think. We’re very proud to have more South Asians in the New York metropolitan area than anywhere else, and they’re great, hard-working, family-oriented, law-abiding, great people and we love them. I try to make the bench look more like New York and more like America, and this is one example of that.

Before I begin, I want to take a moment to recognize Judge Bulsara’s wife, Chrissy DeLorenzo, a professor at one of the great medical schools in New York, Stony Brook, and she is with us here this morning, as you can see.

Judge Bulsara is – I’ll forgive him – a Bronx boy, but Chrissy is from Brooklyn so he likes to say he married into Brooklyn.

I also understand that Judge’s Bulsara’s parents, Jay and Aruna, are watching the hearing live from Los Angeles.

And Judge Bulsara’s in-laws, Tom and Loretta, are also watching live from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. I’m sure they’re proud too.

Judge Bulsara is the epitome of the American Dream: a proud son of hard-working immigrant parents from India and Kenya who taught him the value of public service at an early age. His father was an engineer for the City of New York for 33 years, who not only raised his son to be a good Yankees fan, but even worked on the renovations of the original Yankee stadium in 1974. Before the renovations, I often got the cheap seats where you sat behind a pole, but they didn’t have that in the new stadium. His mother went to community college at night to become a nurse working with patients in low-income communities.

So, Judge Bulsara’s parents dedicated their lives to public service. I know he’s proud to be following in their footsteps. These are the great American Dream stories. We hear them every day in New York and around the country. It makes us so proud and so optimistic about the future of our country, which I am.

Judge Bulsara has all the qualities of a first-rate jurist. His colleagues and peers have praised his “excellent judgment” and he has been described by those who know him well as brilliant, ethical, even-keeled, energetic, hard-working. Those are some of the words my judicial panel used when they met him.

His credentials are undeniable: he’s a graduate of Harvard and Harvard Law, he clerked for Judge John Koeltl of the Southern District of New York. After years in private practice, he worked to protect investors and our community’s financial markets at the SEC, where he served as Acting General Counsel in 2017.

Judge Bulsara also has a broad range of pro-bono work, and has been recognized for his outstanding representation of victims of domestic violence. He’s also worked to defend the rights of the incarcerated and individuals on death row.

And, again, he made history in 2017 as the first South Asian American federal judge on any court in the Second Circuit when he was appointed the Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of New York, where he served honorably since. I’ve appointed great people to that bench.

In short, Mr. Chairman, our courts need more people like Sanket Bulsara.

The Democratic Majority has been very proud of confirming scores of highly qualified, diverse judges– nearly 180 judges in fact –to the federal bench. Thank you, Chairman Durbin and Ranking Member Graham, and everyone else who has cooperated to help us reach that number.

These judges are reshaping the judiciary for the better, not only by making our courts look more like America, but by restoring trust and balance on the bench through their broad range of experience. I am confident that Judge Bulsara will serve with distinction. That’s why I’m proud to support his nomination.

I want to thank the Judge and his wife for being here. I want to thank the members of the committee once again and my colleagues on the committee for the opportunity to be here today. And I look forward to working with you to confirm more judges in the weeks and months ahead. Thank you.

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United States District Court Eastern District of New York Announces One Full-Time Federal Magistrate Judge Vacancy

April 4, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chief Judge Margo K. Brodie announced today that the Judges of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York have appointed a Merit Selection Panel composed of attorneys and residents of the district (see Administrative Order No. 2023-12 on the Court’s website). The Panel will consider candidates for an anticipated United States Magistrate Judge vacancy in Brooklyn, New York, for an eight (8)-year term. The vacancy will be created by the anticipated elevation of U.S. Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes to United States District Judge.

All applications for the magistrate judge vacancy must be received by May 5, 2023. The application form can be accessed online at the district’s website. Application forms also may be obtained from the Clerk of Court in the Public Announcements. Please see the public notices below for instructions on how to submit applications for the magistrate judge vacancy.

Within ninety (90) days from its appointment on April 4, 2023, the Panel must report to the Court its recommended slate of candidates for consideration for the Magistrate Judge vacancy.

PUBLIC NOTICE

ONE FULL-TIME FEDERAL MAGISTRATE JUDGE VACANCY

There is one (1) anticipated full-time United States Magistrate Judge vacancy at the Brooklyn Courthouse of the Eastern District of New York at 225 Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, New York. The duties of the position are demanding and wide-ranging, and will include: (1) conduct of preliminary proceedings in criminal cases; (2) trial and disposition of misdemeanor cases; (3) conduct of various pretrial matters and evidentiary proceedings on delegation from the judges of the district court; (4) trial and disposition of civil cases upon consent of the litigants; and (5) assignment of additional duties not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States.

The jurisdiction of a United States Magistrate Judge is specified in 28 U.S.C. § 636. To be qualified for appointment, an applicant must: (a) be a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands for at least five years; (b) have been engaged in the active practice of law for a period of at least five years (with some substitutions authorized); (c) be competent to perform all the duties of the office, of good moral character, emotionally stable and mature, committed to equal justice under the law, in good health, patient and courteous, and capable of deliberation and decisiveness; (d) be less than 70 years old; and (e) not be related to a judge of the district court. An applicant should have federal court experience and be knowledgeable in federal civil and criminal practices and procedures.

A Merit Selection Panel (appointed by Administrative Order 2023-12) composed of attorneys and residents of the district will review all applications and recommend in confidence to the judges of the district court the five persons whom it considers best qualified for the vacancy. The Court will make the appointment following FBI and IRS investigations of the appointee. An affirmative effort will be made to give due consideration to all qualified candidates, including women and members of minority groups. The salary of the position is, as of this notice, $213,992 per annum. The term of office is eight years.

Please note that the application form can be accessed online at the district’s website. Application forms also may be obtained from the Clerk of Court at 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York 11201. Applications must be personally prepared by potential nominees and must be received no later than May 5, 2023. Applications should be submitted as one PDF file, by email, to NYED [email protected]. Instructions are available on the court’s website.

THE DISTRICT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

In the News: Karen King Writes on her 9-0 Victory at the United States Supreme Court in Golan v. Saada

On October 7, 2022, Law360 published a piece written by AABANY Member Karen King titled “Key to a 9-0 Court Win: Look for a Common Ground.” Karen argued before the Supreme Court in March 2022 in Golan v. Saada, in which the Court decided in favor of Karen’s client in an unanimous 9-0 decision. Karen is a Partner at Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello, Co-Chair of AABANY’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee, and an active member of AABANY’s Anti-Asian Violence Task Force. 

Karen has had an impressive and storied career, with accomplishments reaching back to before her time as a litigator. She was president of the debate team in high school and at Yale University, where she majored in philosophy and political science. After Yale, Karen received her J.D. from Harvard Law School and started her career at Cravath. Two decades later, Karen continues to appear in federal and state courts on behalf of corporate clients while also taking on pro bono clients, being named a “Notable Woman in Law” by Crain’s New York Business and receiving both the Federal Bar Council’s Thurgood Marshall Award for Exceptional Pro Bono Service and the National Asian Pacific Bar Association’s Pro Bono award. Her pro bono clients include victims of discrimination, survivors of domestic violence, students with learning disabilities, victims of gun violence, and prisoners in civil rights issues. 

In the article, Karen writes about the strategies and steps her team undertook to prepare for arguing Golan v. Saada before the Court. 

The case concerned an Italian citizen who filed a petition with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to return his child to Italy through the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Narkis Golan, the child’s mother, petitioned the court to prevent the child’s return to Italy, as the father’s history of abuse would put the child at a risk of psychological harm. The Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the District Court for the Eastern District of New York agreed that the child could be required to return to Italy by finding “ameliorative measures” to prevent such harm to the child. When Karen brought the case to the Supreme Court for Golan, the issue was whether, under the Hague Convention, courts must consider all possible “ameliorative measures” which would lead to the return of a child to their country of habitual residence. The Court ruled in favor of Karen’s client, finding that courts are not obligated to find options that will enable the child’s safe return before denying return based on a risk of harm. Karen describes in her article how she and her team navigated the diverse judicial philosophies of the Court’s justices to achieve a 9-0 victory. 

Karen and her team took a keen interest in the judicial philosophies and oral argument preferences of justices on the Court to draw broad support from the bench. For example, Karen argued that the Second Circuit’s requirement to consider “ameliorative measures” which would favor return was an outcome not grounded in the text of the Hague Convention—an approach smartly tailored for textualist justices. Karen also writes that this case demonstrated how oral arguments offer not just opportunities for petitioners and respondents to emphasize certain legal points, but also chances to shape the justices’ thinking on the case. 

In addition to demonstrating shrewd foresight through a textualist argument, Karen also underscored the importance of children’s interests in the Hague Convention text. These approaches to Karen’s oral argument performance were reflected in the Court’s opinion, where Justice Sotomayor remanded the case back to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The justice drew upon the textualist ideas and child interest issues which Karen had brought forth during oral argument. 


Karen’s article also reflected on the challenges she faced in preparing for oral argument at the Court for this case, as COVID-19 restrictions and partisan tensions reached new heights during preparations. 

Lastly, Karen’s presence alongside two other Asian American litigators at oral argument before the Court places this case in Asian American legal history. The strategies Karen outlined for stellar advocacy go far beyond Golan v. Saada. As an Asian American community leader, Karen advocates for greater diversity in courtrooms and law firms, guides young litigators, and gives back to communities through pro bono work. AABANY is proud to see the inspiring work Karen King has done inside and outside of her role as a litigator, and we are excited to see how else she will continue to be a leading example for the Asian American community. 

The full article can be found at:

https://www.maglaw.com/media/publications/articles/2022-10-07-morvillo-abramowitz-partner-karen-king-mentioned-in-law360-article

Federal Judicial Internships Available in EDNY, Summer 2023

The Honorable Dora L. Irizarry, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of New York is accepting applications for Summer 2023 internships.

Qualifications:

  • Must be a rising second or third year law student.
  • Must have good grades.
  • Must have good research, writing, and analytical skills, although
    participation in Law Review or a Journal is not a prerequisite.
  • Military and/or other life/career experience is a plus.
  • Must be vaccinated fully against COVID-19 (including a booster shot).

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, interested law students should forward their application package in PDF format via email to [email protected].


Application package must include:

  • One-page cover letter briefly describing your background, why you are interested in a legal career and why you are interested in an internship with Judge Irizarry specifically.
  •  Resume.
  •  Official law school transcript.
  •  One recent writing sample no longer than 10 pages. Journal or research articles will not be accepted.
  •  Two to three letters of recommendation.

The deadline for receipt of materials is February 3, 2023.

Please note that, while these are not paid internships, the Judge will participate in any appropriate sponsored program that provides academic credit or stipends for interns.

If you have questions, please contact chambers at: 718-613-2150

Senior U.S. District Court Judge Dora L. Irizarry is Seeking Applications for a Federal Judicial Internship

The Honorable Dora L. Irizarry, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of
New York, is accepting applications for Spring 2023 internships.

Qualifications: 

• Must be a rising second or third year law student. 

• Must have good grades. 

• Must have good research, writing, and analytical skills, although  participation in Law Review or a Journal is not a prerequisite.  

• Military and/or other life/career experience is a plus. 

• Must be vaccinated fully against COVID-19 (including a booster shot). 

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, interested law students should forward  their application package in PDF format via email to  [email protected].  

Application package must include: 

• One-page cover letter briefly describing your background, why you are  interested in a legal career and why you are interested in an internship with Judge Irizarry specifically. 

• Resume. 

• Official law school transcript.  

• One recent writing sample no longer than 10 pages. Journal or research  articles will not be accepted.  

• Two to three letters of recommendation.  

The deadline for receipt of materials is November 30, 2022. 

Please note that, while these are not paid internships, the Judge will participate  in any appropriate sponsored program that provides academic credit or stipends for  interns.  

If you have questions, please contact chambers at: 718-613-2150.


Magistrate Judge Vacancy – Eastern District of New York

On July 13, 2022, Chief Judge Brodie announced that the Eastern District of New York has appointed a merit selection panel to consider and recommend candidates for a magistrate judge vacancy that will be created by the retirement of Magistrate Judge Mann. For more information, please click here.

The application form can be found on the court’s website here.

Applications must be submitted to [email protected] by August 15, 2022.

NAPABA Applauds the Nominations of Nusrat Choudhury, Robert S. Huie and Nina Y. Wang to U.S. District Courts

WASHINGTON –Today [January 19th], the Biden administration announced the nominations of three AAPIs to the following U.S. District Courts: Nusrat Choudhury to the Eastern District of New York, Robert S. Huie to the Southern District of California, and Judge Nina Wang to the District of Colorado.

“NAPABA applauds the Biden administration for honoring its commitment to nominate a more representative judiciary,” said A.B. Cruz III, Acting President of NAPABA. “To date, there are a total 45 AAPI Article III judges, ten of whom were confirmed within President Biden’s first year in office.

“Ms. Choudhury, Mr. Huie and Judge Wang have impeccable careers, serving our nation in government and civil rights. We thank Senators Schumer, Feinstein, Bennet, Gillibrand, Padilla and Hickenlooper for recommending them and NAPABA urges the Senate to quickly confirm them.”

Nusrat Choudhury is the Roger Pascal Legal Director at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois where she oversees a team advancing civil rights and civil liberties. She has more than a decade of experience advocating for underserved communities in her previous roles at the ACLU Foundation in New York. Choudhury clerked for the Honorable Barrington D. Parker of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and for the Honorable Denise Cote of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. She received her B.A. from Columbia University, M.P.A. from Princeton University and J.D. from Yale Law School. If confirmed, Choudhury would be the first Bangladeshi American to serve as an Article III judge.

Robert S. Huie is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of California where he served as deputy chief of the Major Frauds and Public Corruption Section. He has also served in the U.S. Department of Justice as a resident legal advisor and diplomat in the U.S. Embassies in North Africa and Eastern Europe. He currently serves as counsel at Jones Day San Diego. Huie clerked for the Honorable José A. Cabranes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and is a graduate of Calvin College and Yale Law School.

Judge Nina Y. Wang is a U.S. magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. Previously, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Colorado and was a partner at Faegre Baker Daniels LLP. Judge Wang clerked for the Honorable Peter J. Messitte of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland and is a graduate of Washington University and Harvard Law School. Active in the AAPI community, Judge Wang is a recipient of NAPABA’s Best Under 40 Award and served as president of NAPABA’s Colorado affiliate APABA Colorado.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting APA communities. Through its national network, 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 all backgrounds in the legal profession.

Apply for EDNY Federal Judicial Internship with Hon. Dora L. Irizarry

The Honorable Dora L. Irizarry, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of New York, currently is accepting applications for Spring 2022 Internships.

Qualifications

  • Must be a second or third year law student.
  • Must have good grades.
  • Must have good research, writing, and analytical skills, although participation in Law Review or a Journal is not a prerequisite.
  • Military and/or other life/career experience is a plus.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, interested law students should forward their application package in PDF format via email to [email protected].

  • One-page cover letter briefly describing your background, why you are interested in a legal career and setting forth why you are interested in interning for Judge Irizarry specifically.
  • Resume
  • Law school transcript. Self-prepared transcripts will not be accepted.
  • One recent writing sample no longer than 10 pages. Journal or research articles will not be accepted.
  • A list of 2-3 references with their contact information. Reference letters preferably should be included with the submitted package, but also may be sent to chambers at the chambers email address above and not directly to the Judge.

The deadline for receipt of materials is November 1, 2021.

Please note that, while these are not paid internships, the Judge will participate in any appropriate sponsored program that provides academic credit or stipends for interns.

If you have further questions, please contact chambers at: 718-613-2150.

Public Notice: One Full-Time Federal Magistrate Judge Vacancy

United States District Court, Eastern District of New York

July 7, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

There is one (1) upcoming full-time United States Magistrate Judge position vacancy at the Central Islip Courthouse of the Eastern District of New York at 1100 Federal Plaza, Central Islip, New York, effective February 24, 2022. The duties of the position are demanding and wide ranging, and will include: (1) conduct of preliminary proceedings in criminal cases; (2) trial and disposition of misdemeanor cases; (3) conduct of various pretrial matters and evidentiary proceedings on delegation from the judges of the district court; (4) trial and disposition of civil cases upon consent of the litigants; and (5) assignment of additional duties not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States.

The basic jurisdiction of a United States Magistrate Judge is specified in 28 U.S.C., section 636. To be qualified for appointment, an applicant must: (a) be a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands for at least five years; (b) have been engaged in the active practice of law for a period of at least five years (with some substitutions authorized); (c) be competent to perform all the duties of the office, of good moral character, emotionally stable and mature, committed to equal justice under the law, in good health, patient and courteous, and capable of deliberation and decisiveness; (d) be less than 70 years old; and (e) not be related to a judge of the district court. An applicant should have federal court experience and be knowledgeable in federal civil and criminal practices and procedures.

A Merit Selection Panel (appointed by Administrative Order 2021-16) composed of attorneys and residents of the district will review all applications and recommend in confidence to the judges of the district court the five persons whom it considers best qualified for each vacancy. The Court will make the appointments following FBI and IRS investigations of the appointees. An affirmative effort will be made to give due consideration to all qualified candidates, including women and members of minority groups. The salary of the position is, as of this notice, $201,112 per annum. The term of office is eight years.

Please note that the application form can be accessed on-line at the district’s website: www.nyed.uscourts.gov. Application forms also may be obtained from the Clerk of Court at 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York 11201. Applications must be personally prepared by potential nominees and must be received no later than August 8, 2021. A submission can be made by email in PDF format sent to [email protected] or submitted online at this linked address. Instructions are available on the court website.

The EDNY ADR Department Develops the Pilot EDNY Mediator Incubator, a Mediation Mentorship Program

The EDNY ADR Department has developed the Pilot EDNY Mediator Incubator, a mediation mentorship program designed to offer practical experience to junior attorneys (less than 15 years of experience) with a substantiated interest in mediating federal cases, but who have little experience as a mediator. To be eligible to apply, applicants must be admitted to practice in the Eastern District of New York. Applicants are also required to be admitted to the Bar of the State of New York for at least five (5) years and must have completed a total of twenty-four (24) hours of mediation training. The required twenty-four (24) hours of mediation training may be the result of attendance at several distinct programs, or at one twenty-four (24) hour training.

After admission to the program, incubator candidates will be required to attend an initial training and orientation session, observe a minimum of three (3) EDNY mediations, and co-mediate at least three (3) EDNY mediations with an experienced EDNY Mediation Panelist. Any observations or co-mediations done through the EDNY Mediator Incubator will be done on a pro bono basis. Each incubator candidate will be matched with an experienced mentor. After successful completion of the EDNY Mediator Incubator, candidates will be eligible for, but not guaranteed, admission to the EDNY Mediation Panel. Applicants must complete the enclosed application and submit one letter of reference from a person who has direct knowledge of the applicant’s interest in and experience with mediation, and one letter of reference from a person who has direct knowledge of the applicant’s legal knowledge and areas of expertise. Applicants will be assessed based on their experience with mediation, including mediation advocacy and active participation in mediation and dispute resolution organizations and associations. Availability and commitment to the program will also be taken into consideration.

Here is a link to the application:  img.nyed.uscourts.gov/files/forms/Mediator Incubator Application and Instructions.pdf