President Obama Names Six to United States District Court

WASHINGTON – Today, President Obama nominated Michael Green, Judge Ramona Villagomez Manglona, J. Paul Oetken, Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos, Natasha Perdew Silas, and Judge Linda T. Walker to seats on the United States District Court.

“Throughout their careers, these distinguished men and women have demonstrated a steadfast commitment to public service,” said President Obama. “I am confident they will serve the American people with distinction from the District Court bench.”

Michael Green: Nominee for the United States District Court for the Western District of New York
Michael Green serves as the District Attorney of Monroe County, based in Rochester, New York, a position he has held since 2004.  He has been a prosecutor in the office for nearly his entire legal career, starting as an Assistant District Attorney in 1987 and serving in several leadership positions prior to becoming District Attorney, including chief of the DWI Bureau, deputy chief of the Major Felony Bureau, and First Assistant District Attorney from 2001 to 2003.  Green has tried more than 100 felony cases, including 40 homicide cases, and currently manages a staff of more than 80 prosecutors and 140 employees.  He received his J.D. in 1986 from Western New England College School of Law, and his B.S. in 1983 from LeMoyne College.

Judge Ramona Villagomez Manglona: Nominee for Judge for the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands
Judge Ramona Villagomez Manglona is an Associate Judge with the Superior Court for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, a position she has held since 2003.  From 2004 to 2008, Judge Manglona also served as a Justice pro tempore and Judge pro tempore with the Guam Supreme Court and the Guam Superior Court.  From 1998 to 2002, Judge Manglona was an Assistant Attorney General in the Commonwealth’s Office of the Attorney General.  In 2002, Judge Manglona served as the Deputy Attorney General for the Commonwealth, and was promoted later that year to Attorney General, a position she held until she became a judge.  Judge Manglona received her J.D. in 1996 from the University of New Mexico School of Law, and her B.A. in 1990 from the University of California at Berkeley.

J. Paul Oetken: Nominee for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
J. Paul Oetken is Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Cablevision Systems Corporation in Bethpage, New York, a position he has held since 2004.  Prior to joining Cablevision, Oetken worked at Debevoise & Plimpton, where he was counsel from 2003 to 2004 and an associate from 2001 to 2003.  Oetken joined the White House Counsel’s Office as Associate Counsel to the President in 1999 and worked there until 2001.  From 1997 to 1999, Oetken was an attorney-advisor with the U.S. Department of Justice in the Office of Legal Counsel.  Prior to that, he worked as an associate at Jenner & Block for approximately two years.  From 1993 to 1994, Oetken served as a law clerk for the Honorable Harry A. Blackmun of the U.S. Supreme Court; from 1992 to 1993, he served as a law clerk for the Honorable Louis F. Oberdorfer of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia; and from 1991 to 1992, he served as a law clerk for the Honorable Judge Richard D. Cudahy of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.  Oetken received his J.D. in 1991 from Yale Law School, and his B.A. with highest distinction in 1988 from the University of Iowa.

Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos: Nominee for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos currently serves as a district court judge for the 347th State District Court in Corpus Christi, Texas.  Prior to being elected to the bench in 2000, Judge Ramos was a sole practitioner for a year.  From 1997 to 1999, she served as a municipal court judge for the City of Corpus Christi.  Before taking the bench, Judge Ramos practiced law for six years in the civil-litigation section of Meredith, Donnell & Abernethy.  Judge Ramos received her J.D. with honors in 1991 from the University of Texas School of Law, and her B.S. summa cum laude in 1987 from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University).

Natasha Perdew Silas: Nominee for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
Natasha Perdew Silas is a staff attorney at the Federal Defender Program for the Northern District of Georgia, based in Atlanta.  She has worked as a Federal Public Defender since 1994, during which time she has tried approximately 25 cases to completion.  Previously, from 1992 to 1994, she worked as a litigation associate at the law firm of Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan in Atlanta.  Silas received her J.D. in 1992 from the University of Virginia School of Law and her B.S. in 1988 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Judge Linda T. Walker: Nominee for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
Judge Linda T. Walker is a United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Georgia, based in Atlanta, a position in which she has served since 2000.  Prior to her appointment to the bench, she worked for Fulton County in several capacities—as Deputy County Attorney from 1992 to 1997, as County Attorney from 1997 to 1999, and as director of the County’s Board of Registration and Elections in 1999.  Judge Walker worked as a litigation associate at the firm of Webb & Daniel in Atlanta from 1990 to 1992.  From 1989 to 1990, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable G. Ernest Tidwell of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.  She received her J.D. in 1989 from the University of Georgia School of Law, her M.S. in 1987 from Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University), and her B.S. in 1983 from Southern University.