On Wednesday, President Joe Biden continued his push to diversify the federal judiciary by nominating a Pakistani-American attorney for a federal appeals court judgeship.
Nicole Berner, currently the general counsel of the Service Employees International Union, was nominated for the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia. Additionally, Adeel Mangi, a New Jersey attorney originally from Pakistan, was nominated for the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia.
Adeel Mangi, who began his legal career in 2000 and became a partner at Patterson Belknap in 2010, has notably handled cases such as a successful legal challenge on behalf of Muslim communities in New Jersey seeking to open mosques in Bernards Township and Bayonne.
President Biden’s nominations align with his commitment to diversifying the judiciary, with a focus on appointing individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. These nominations contribute to the broader effort to have a more inclusive and representative federal bench.
In addition to the appellate court nominations, Biden also put forth three new district court judges in Oregon and Indiana. Notably, the nomination of judges in Indiana involves a custom known as the “blue slip,” requiring the support of both Republican senators from the state for confirmation.
This move comes as part of the president’s strategy to secure Senate confirmation for federal judicial nominees. Thus far, Biden has successfully obtained Senate confirmation for 154 lifetime federal judicial nominees, with a majority being women or individuals from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
The nomination of Nicole Berner responds to calls from progressive advocates urging the White House to appoint judges with a background in pro-union labor law, particularly given the current surge in unionization efforts and strikes across various industries nationwide.
