President Donald Trump has nominated prominent Indian-American attorney Shireen Matthews as a judge of the US District Court for the Southern District of California. If she is confirmed, Matthews will be the first Asian Pacific American woman and first Indian-American to serve as an Article III federal judge in the Southern District, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) as per a report by Press Trust of India.
The White House announced her nomination, she now awaits approval from the senate. She is a partner with the elite law firm Jones Day, where she specialises in white-collar crimes.
Article III judges have a lifetime appointment, except under very limited circumstances. Article III judges can be removed from office only through impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction by the Senate.
ABOUT MATTHEWS
- Matthews served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California
- Matthews was an associate with Latham and Watkins LLP in San Diego
- Matthews earned her BA from Georgetown University and her law degree from Duke University School of Law.
NAPABA has applauded Trump’s intent to nominate Matthews. “Shireen Matthews is experienced attorney, both in the public and private sectors. She will be a well-qualified addition to the bench in the Southern District of California,” NAPABA President Daniel Sakaguchi said in the release put out by The White House.
Sakaguchi said that the potential nominee is dedicated to “serving her community and promoting diversity in the legal profession” and has served as a former president of the San Diego’s chapter of the South Asian Bar Association.
As her Jones' Day profile of her, Shireen has served as the Criminal Health Care Fraud Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of California. She prosecuted violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, criminal false claims, and aggravated identity theft. The website further adds, her success stories include uncovering a multimillion dollar fraud involving stolen medical equipment from Camp Pendleton, a health care fraud investigation of a hospital CEO, prosecution of wide-ranging contract fraud by a San Diego-based biotech firm, and obtaining one of the largest individual restitution awards for the Social Security trust fund.
She also serves on her lawfirm's Diversity, Inclusion & Advancement Committee and is actively involved in the Firm's pro bono initiative to provide legal assistance to veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Matthews earned her BA from Georgetown University and her law degree from Duke University School of Law.
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