SCHUMER RECOMMENDS VINCENT BRICCETTI OF SOUTH SALEM TO SERVE ON SOUTHERN DISTRICT COURT IN WHITE PLAINS - ALSO ANNOUNCES OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
Nominees Have Had Very Respected and Successful Legal Careers in Public And Private Sectors While Also Serving in Their Communities
Schumer: All Three Nominees Embody Best Qualities of the Legal System and Will Be Excellent, Fair, and Moderate Judges
On Friday, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that he is recommending Vincent Briccetti, Paul Engelmayer, and Mae D'Agostino to President Obama to serve as judges in the Southern and Northern District federal courts. Mr. Briccetti, of South Salem, New York and Mr. Engelmayer, who lives in New York City, are being nominated as federal judges in New York's Southern District. Ms. D'Agostino is a history-making pick, as she would become the first woman from Albany to serve as a federal judge in New York's Northern District. Also, if confirmed, she would be the only woman serving on the federal bench in all of Upstate New York. Schumer said that their stellar legal backgrounds, close ties to their respective regions, even-handedness, temperament, and demonstrated leadership skills would make them excellent choices for the Southern and Northern District Courts.Schumer also said that they are highly capable and very qualified for the positions.
"Paul Englemayer's first-rate legal mind and steadfast dedication to the professional administration of justice, and deep knowledge of his community make him an ideal nominee as a federal judge in the Southern District," Schumer said. "Paul has shown himself to be an outstanding legal professional and his deep rooted connections to the Southern District made him a clear choice for this position."
"Vincent Briccetti has had a varied and distinguished career in the law and public service on behalf of the people of New York and the nation," Schumer said. "He is universally respected by his peers in the legal community due to his sharp mind and exemplary professionalism. His outstanding leadership, his intellect, his commitment to justice, his deep connections to New York, and his extensive experience make him an exceptional choice for as a federal judge in the Southern District."
"I am honored to be able to recommend Mae D'Agostino to President Obama," Schumer said. "One of my goals was to bring a female to the federal bench in Upstate New York, and Mae would not only do that, but she is simply one of the finest judicial candidates I have ever met. She has built a distinguished legal career and a very successful practice, but her sense of public service and love of the law has motivated her to bring her talents to the bench."
Vincent Briccetti is a graduate of Columbia College and Fordham University School of Law, where he served as Articles Editor of the Law Review. After law school, Briccetti served as a law clerk to Judge John M. Cannella before moving into the private sector. Briccetti became an associate in the litigation department of the medium-sized general practice law firm in 1982. In 1985, Briccetti moved back to the public sector, serving as the Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division at the United States Attorney's Office. Briccetti was assigned to the General Crimes Unit, Major Crimes Unit, and served as Deputy Chief Appellate Attorney from 1988-89.
After working in the U.S. Attorney's Office and serving as Senior Associate in the litigation department of a national law firm, Briccetti started his own firm. In 1993, he expanded the firm with a partner; he went on to create Briccetti, Calhoun & Lawrence in 2000. Briccetti currently serves as a partner in the firm.
Engelmayer is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. As a young lawyer, Engelmayer served as law clerk to multiple esteemed judges. He served Judge Patricia M. Wald on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and Justice Thurgood Marshall on the United States Supreme Court. While serving as law clerk, Engelmayer gained valuable knowledge and experience about the federal and state justice systems.
After his work as a law clerk, Engelmayer worked in the U.S. Attorney's Office from 1989-1994 and again from 1996-1999. In his first stint, Engelmayer successfully served in the Office's General Crimes Unit and its Public Corruption Unit, before being promoted in early 1994 to Deputy Chief Appellate Attorney. Engelmayer returned to the office in 1996 as Chief of the Major Crimes Unit. He served in that position until 1999 when he moved to his present job. As Chief of Major Crimes, Engelmayer supervised over twenty prosecutors, specializing in white-collar crimes, including corporate crime and financial institution fraud.
Between his two periods of employment at the U.S. Attorney's Office, Engelmayer served as Assistant to the Solicitor General of the United States, from September 1994 to August 1996. There, Engelmayer argued four cases before the United States Supreme Court. At his current employer, firm of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP, Engelmayer has been selected for inclusion inThe Best Lawyers in America(2005-2009) by his peers.
D'Agostino is a graduate of Siena College and Syracuse University College of Law. As a young lawyer, Ms. D'Agostino worked for the firm of Maynard O'Connor and Smith, where she was responsible for handling complex civil litigation and a great deal of the firm's appellate work. There she gained extensive experience in both the state and federal justice systems.
After nearly two decades at Maynard, O'Connor and Smith, Ms. D'Agostino formed her own law firm, D'Agostino, Krackeler, Baynes and Maguire, where she earned a reputation as one of the country's top civil attorneys. Since 1999, Ms. D'Agostino has been listed in the "Best Lawyers in America" publication, which is one of the most respected publications in the legal profession. She has been consistently recognized by her colleagues as a leader in the legal field, having been inducted into the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers and selected as the President of the Albany County Bar Association.
D'Agostino is not only a respected legal practitioner; she is also an active member of the Capital Region community. She has dedicated a tremendous amount of time from her practice to serve residents as apro bonolawyer, working with disabled residents who are struggling to receive Social Security benefits. Additionally, Ms. D'Agostino has taught classes at Albany Law School and served on the Board of Trustees of Siena College.
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