Press Release - President Obama Nominates Three to Serve as U.S. Attorneys

WASHINGTON, DC- Today, President Obama nominated Melinda L. Haag, Jerry E. Martin and James A. Lewis to serve as U.S. Attorneys.

"Today, I am honored to nominate these highly respected legal professionals as United States Attorneys," President Obama said. "They will be unwavering in their commitment to justice and I am confident they will serve the people of California, Tennessee and Illinois with excellence."

Melinda L. Haag, Nominee for United States Attorney, Northern District of California

Melinda Haag has been a partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe since 2003. Prior to that, Ms. Haag worked as an Assistant United States Attorney and Chief of the White Collar Division in the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California from 1999 until 2003. From 1993 until 1999, she was a partner at Landels, Ripley & Diamond, LLP. Ms. Haag had worked for the United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California as an Assistant United States Attorney from 1989 until 1993. Prior to that, she had been an associate at Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher from 1987 until 1989. Ms. Haag graduated from the University of California at San Diego in 1983 and the University of California at Berkeley School of Law in 1987.

Jerry E. Martin, Nominee for United States Attorney, Middle District of Tennessee

Jerry Martin has been a partner at Barrett Johnston & Parsley since 2007, where he had previously been an associate from 2003 until 2007. Prior to that, he was employed as a litigation associate at Bass, Berry & Sims from 2000 until 2003. From 1999 until 2000, Mr. Martin had been a litigation associate with Wyatt Tarrant & Combs. Mr. Martin graduated from Dartmouth College in 1996 and the Stanford University School of Law in 1999.

James A. Lewis, Nominee for United States Attorney, Central District of Illinois

James Lewis has worked for the United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of Illinois as an Assistant United States Attorney and the Chief of the Criminal Division since 1983. Mr. Lewis worked as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois at Springfield in 1986, 1988 and again in 1990. From 1977 until 1983, he worked as a trial attorney for the Torts Branch in the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice. Prior to that, Mr. Lewis was the Director of Clinical Education and an assistant professor at the North Carolina Central University School of Law, from 1976 until 1977. From 1974 until 1976, he was the Director of Clinical Education, this time at the Duke University School of Law. In 1974, Mr. Lewis was a trial attorney for the Durham Legal Aid Office. From 1972 until 1973, he was a founding attorney for the Mississippi Prison Project. From 1970 until 1971, Mr. Lewis was Executive Director of the North Mississippi Rural Legal Services where he had been on the Board of Directors. Prior to that, from 1969 until 1970, Mr. Lewis served as general counsel to the Board of Directors for the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi. In 1969, he was an adjunct professor at Tougaloo College, and from 1966 until 1970, he had been a staff attorney for the Lawyers Constitutional Defense Committee. Mr. Lewis graduated from Yale University in 1962, the University of Chicago School of Law in 1966, and the Duke University School of Law in 1975.