-9999

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today the Senate will vote to confirm Natasha Merle to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. She is a highly skilled litigator who has practiced at virtually every level of the legal system. Ms. Merle received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her law degree from New York University School of Law. She then completed two Federal clerkships, one in the Southern District of New York and another in the Eastern District of New York. Following her clerkships, Ms. Merle devoted her early career to representing indigent clients, particularly as an assistant Federal public defender. She has also spent time in private practice, where she represented individuals, companies, and financial institutions in commercial litigation.

Since 2016, Ms. Merle has worked at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, where she has devoted her practice to ensuring equal justice under law. She has also taught at two of the Nation's top law schools: Columbia Law School, as a lecturer in law, and New York University School of Law, as an adjunct professor of clinical law. Ms. Merle has significant experience in the courtroom at both the trial and appellate levels. She has litigated in State and Federal court on both civil and criminal matters, practiced before the U.S. Supreme Court, and successfully argued an appeal before the California Supreme Court. Ms. Merle's deep expertise, diversity of experience, and commitment to public service will make her an outstanding addition to the Eastern District of New York.

The American Bar Association rated Ms. Merle ``well qualified,'' and she has the strong support of her home state Senators, Mr. Schumer and Mrs. Gillibrand. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting Ms. Merle's nomination.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source