George Wu Confirmed to Federal Bench
March 29, 2007NAPABA CELEBRATES CONFIRMATION OF HON. GEORGE H. WU AS A FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT JUDGE OF CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is pleased to announce that the United States Senate has confirmed Judge George Howping Wu to serve as a United States District Court Judge for the Central District of California, which sits in Los Angeles, California.
Asian Pacific Americans, which constitute approximately 4.4 percent of the U.S. population, are significantly underrepresented in the federal judiciary. Judge Wu’s confirmation will make him only the sixth Asian Pacific American (APA) out of over eight hundred Article III Judges, and only the fifteenth APA Article III Judge in the history of the United States. Of the 876 authorized seats in the federal judiciary nationwide, less than 1 percent of them are currently held by an APA judge. Out of these APA federal judges, four sit in California, one in Hawaii and one in New York.
Prior to his confirmation, Judge Wu served for ten years as a California Superior Court Judge for Los Angeles County, and for three years as a Municipal Court Judge in Los Angeles Municipal Court. Before his elevation to the judiciary, Judge Wu was an associate at LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae LLP (formerly LeBoeuf, Lamb, Leiby & MacRae) in Los Angeles, CA. He also served as an Assistant United States Attorney for eight years, where he worked in the Civil Division. As an active member of the community, Judge Wu taught a free bar review course to minority and/or low-income law school graduates. Judge Wu received his undergraduate degree from Pomona College in Claremont, and his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School.
Phillip F. Shinn, the President of NAPABA, stated that “We applaud President Bush and the United States Senate for nominating and confirming this extremely qualified and deserving individual. We are confident that based on Judge Wu’s experience, dedication and commitment to public service, he will make an excellent addition to the federal bench.” John C. Yang, Chair of NAPABA’s Judicial Nominations Committee, added that “Asian Pacific Americans continue to be severely underrepresented in the federal judiciary. Judge Wu’s confirmation represents a step in the right direction in ensuring that the judiciary reflects the diversity of America.”
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and law students and 50 local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members represent solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes professional development of minorities in the legal profession.
Christine N. Epres
Policy Director
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
910 17th St. NW, Suite 315
Washington, DC 20006
Ph: (202) 775-9555
Fx: (202) 775-9333
E-mail: policy@napaba.org
