Attorney General Holder Expands U.S. Attorney Advisory Committee

WASHINGTON - Attorney General Eric Holder today announced the appointment of nine new U.S. Attorneys to serve two-year terms on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC). The new appointees include: U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara; U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona Dennis Burke; U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington Jenny Durkan; U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Paul J. Fishman; U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Patrick J. Fitzgerald; U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil H. MacBride; U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island Peter F. Neronha; U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama Joyce White Vance; and Acting U.S. Attorney, ex officio, for the District of Columbia Channing D. Phillips. John S. Davis, Criminal Chief for the Eastern District of Virginia, was also appointed to the committee to represent the voice of the Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the field.

"This is a critical and exciting time for the Department of Justice and I will rely heavily on these U.S. Attorneys as we work to further the Department’s efforts to reduce violent crime and gang violence, promote civil rights, ensure fairness in the marketplace and above all, preserve our national security," said Attorney General Holder.

The AGAC, chaired by U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota B. Todd Jones, was created in 1973. The committee, which reports to the Attorney General through the Deputy Attorney General, represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management and operational issues impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys.

"This committee provides crucial advice to the Department’s leadership in helping shape key policies to accomplish our core mission of serving justice, and these distinguished U.S. Attorneys bring the experience, dedication and drive necessary to successfully serve this important role," said Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden.

A brief bio on each nominee is below:

Preet Bharara was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York on Aug. 13, 2009. Bharara previously served as Chief Counsel to U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (2005-2009); Adjunct Professor at Fordham University School of Law (2003-2005); Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (2000-2005); litigation associate with Shereff, Friedman, Hoffman & Goodman LLP (1996-2000); and litigation associate with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (1993-1996).

Dennis Burke was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona on Sept. 16, 2009. Prior to his appointment, Burke served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Homeland Security (2009) and as a member of the Obama/Biden Transition Team (2008-2009). Burke served as Chief of Staff for the Governor of Arizona (2003-2008); Chief Deputy/Special Assistant for the Arizona State Attorney General (1999-2003); Acting Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legislative Affairs, Department of Justice (1999); Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona (1997-1999); Senior Policy Analyst, Domestic Policy Council, The White House (1995-1997); Special Counsel, Office of Legislative Affairs, Department of Justice (1994-1995); and Majority Counsel for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks (1989-1994).

Jenny Durkan was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington on Oct. 1, 2009. Durkan previously served as solo practitioner for the law offices of Jenny Durkan (1997-2009); Executive Counsel for the Office of the Governor, Washington State (1994 -1995); associate attorney (1991-1994) and shareholder (1996-1997), Schroeter, Goldmark and Bender; associate attorney, Williams and Connolly (1987-1991); and associate attorney, Foster, Pepper & Riviera (1985-1987).

Paul J. Fishman was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey on Oct. 14, 2009. Prior to his appointment he served as partner with Friedman, Kaplan, Seiler & Adelman LLP (1997-2009). Fishman served in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice, as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General (1997), Associate Deputy Attorney General (1995-1997) and Counsel (1994). Fishman also served as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey (1983-1994).

Patrick J. Fitzgerald was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois in October 2001, and was Attorney General appointed in August-October 2001. Fitzgerald was a member of the AGAC in 2001-2004 and 2008-2009, serving as interim chair in 2009. Prior to his appointment as U.S. Attorney, Fitzgerald served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York as Chief of the Organized Crime-Terrorism Unit (1995-2001), Chief of the Narcotics Unit (1994), and Assistant U.S. Attorney (1988-1994). Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Fitzgerald was a litigation associate with Christy & Viener, New York, N.Y. (1985-1988).

Neil H. MacBride was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia on Sept. 18, 2009. McBride previously served as Associate Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice (2009); General Counsel and Vice President, Anti-Piracy for Business Software Alliance (2005-2009); Chief Counsel and Staff Director for Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr., U.S. Senate, Committee on the Judiciary (2001-2005); Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia (1997-2001); and associate with Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson & Hand, Chartered (1993-1997).

Peter F. Neronha was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island on September 16, 2009. He previously served as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island (2002-2009); Assistant Attorney General (2001-2002) and Special Assistant Attorney General (1996-2001) for the Department of the Attorney General, state of Rhode Island; and Associate with Goodwin Proctor LLP (1989-1995).

Joyce White Vance was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama on Aug. 27, 2009, and was Attorney General appointed in June 2009-August 2009. Vance served as Assistant U.S. Attorney and Appellate Division Chief for the Northern District of Ala. (1991-2009); associate with Bradley, Arant, Rose & White, Birmingham, Ala. (1988-1991); summer associate with McDermott, Will & Emery, Washington, DC (1988); and associate with Arant, ox Kitner, Plotkin & Kahn, Washington, DC (1984-1988).

Channing D. Phillips was appointed Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia on May 30, 2009. Phillips previously served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia as Principal Assistant U.S. Attorney (2004-2009), Chief of Staff (2001-2004), Special Counsel (1997-2001) and Assistant U.S. Attorney (1994-1997). Phillips was a trial attorney with the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section, Department of Justice (1990-1994).