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Floor Speech

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Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, today, the Senate will vote to confirm Ms. Mary Kay Lanthier to the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont.

Born in Orwell, VT, Ms. Lanthier earned her B.A. at Amherst College in 1993 and her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law in 1996. After graduating from law school, she served as a law clerk in the court administrator's office for the Chittenden County District Court and Addison County Courts.

Ms. Lanthier then worked on family law, workers' compensation, and criminal defense cases as an associate at Keiner & Dumont, P.C. between 1998 and 2000. After that, from 2000 to 2003, she served as a staff attorney at the Addison County Public Defender's Office. Ms. Lanthier later worked as an associate from 2003 to 2004 and partner from 2005 to 2007 at Marsh & Wagner, P.C. There, her practice centered on family law, real estate law, and criminal defense.

Since 2007, Ms. Lanthier has served as a staff attorney and supervising attorney in the Rutland County Public Defender's Office. Over the course of her career, she has tried approximately 50 criminal cases to a jury verdict.

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Ms. Lanthier as ``well qualified,'' and her nomination is strongly supported by her home State Senators, Mr. Sanders and Mr. Welch.

With 20 years of experience as a public defender, Ms. Lanthier's litigation background and deep commitment to equal justice has prepared her to serve with distinction on the Federal bench in Vermont. Her nomination has received support from a range of individuals and organizations, including law enforcement, prosecutors, and the Vermont Bar Association.

I am proud to join them in supporting her nomination and urge my colleagues to do the same.

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