Executive Session
EXECUTIVE SESSION
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, yesterday this Chamber came together to unanimously confirm Ms. Arenda Wright Allen to serve as a district judge in Virginia. I thank my colleagues from both sides of the aisle for their vote. I am confident that we will give the same support to another excellent nominee from Virginia under consideration today.
I rise to speak in support Judge Michael Urbanski to serve as the next U.S. district judge for the Western District of Virginia.
Judge Urbanski would be appointed to a court that is known for its rigor and quality. It is a court that requires a highly effective judge that is sensitive to the details of each case. I think Judge Urbanski is perfect for this job.
He graduated from the College of William and Mary and the University of Virginia Law School. He also served as a law clerk for the Honorable James Turk, a district judge in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Following his clerkship, he worked in the private sector where he built experience in antitrust litigation, counseling and investigations, contract and business tort litigation and intellectual property litigation.
Since 2004, he has served as a magistrate judge in Roanoke, VA, where he has built strong connections to the community and a reputation as a fair and impartial judge.
I would be remiss not to mention the overwhelming support his candidacy received from the legal community in which he will serve. In addition, the Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Women Attorneys Association and the Salem/Roanoke County Bar Association ranked Judge Urbanski as ``highly qualified'' or ``most highly qualified.''
I again would like to thank Chairman Leahy and Ranking Member Grassley for moving Judge Urbanski's nomination through the Judiciary Committee so that we could consider him today. As I testified at the hearing, I look forward to casting my vote in support of Judge Urbanski's nomination and encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source