Takoma Park resident Nicole G. Berner was nominated Wednesday by President Joe Biden as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, who also lives in Takoma Park, commented on her nomination.
“Congrats to my extraordinary constituent Nicole Berner on her nomination to the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit! She’ll be the first openly LGBTQ judge to serve on the 4th Circuit & will bring great civil rights & labor law expertise to the court. Superb choice,” Raskin posted.
“Throughout her career, Nicole Berner has provided outstanding legal representation to advance the rights of working families and historically underrepresented communities – demonstrating her commitment to delivering equal justice to all,” said U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen.
“Her diverse legal experience shows that she is dedicated to the rule of law, fairness, and the principals of democracy,” Van Hollen wrote in a statement.
“She will break glass ceilings on the bench as a labor & union leader, Jewish woman and member of the LGBTQ community,” U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin posted.
Berner serves as general counsel to the Service Employees International Union, where she has practiced as in-house counsel since 2006. Previously, she worked as a staff attorney for Planned Parenthood Federation of American in Washington, D.C. for two years.
She also worked as a visiting attorney at Yigal Arnon & Co. in Jerusalem, Israel from 1999 to 2000. She was a law clerk for Judge Thelton E. Henderson on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California from 1997 to 1998 and for Judge Betty B. Fletcher on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 1996 to 1997.
Berner received her J.D. from University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, and her M.P.P. from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley in 1996.
She must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate before she can be seated.
Congrats to my extraordinary constituent Nicole Berner on her nomination to the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit! She'll be the first openly LGBTQ judge to serve on the 4th Circuit & will bring great civil rights & labor law expertise to the court.
Superb choice, @POTUS!— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) November 15, 2023
I applaud @POTUS for nominating Nicole Berner to the 4th Circuit. She's a brilliant lawyer & tireless advocate for working families & underrepresented communities who is committed to ensuring equal justice under law.
I look forward to working to ensure her speedy confirmation: pic.twitter.com/JHSno9Njkq
— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) November 15, 2023
She will break glass ceilings on the bench as a labor & union leader, Jewish woman and member of the LGBTQ community.
Let’s get her confirmed.https://t.co/snWHOTz0UO
— Senator Ben Cardin (@SenatorCardin) November 15, 2023
