Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced her support for President Obama’s nomination of Judge Lucy H. Koh to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

“Lucy Koh has excelled in her role as a District Judge for the Northern District of California, and I’m so pleased she is being nominated to the 9th Circuit. Lucy Koh is a highly-respected member of the federal judiciary and will bring a wide-range of experience to the 9th Circuit, having served as a state and federal judge, federal prosecutor and partner at a major law firm. Having confirmed Judge Koh unanimously more than five years ago, I hope the Senate moves quickly on her nomination.”

Lucy Koh has served as U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of California since 2010, when she became the first Korean-American woman to serve as a federal district court judge. She was confirmed unanimously by the Senate, 90-0, on June 7, 2010.

Previously she served as a Superior Court Judge for Santa Clara County, an assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California and counsel at the Justice Department and U.S. Senate.

She also represented business clients in Silicon Valley as an intellectual property litigator while a partner at the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP. If confirmed, she would be the first Korean-American woman to serve on a federal appeals court.

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