Amy Totenberg
Encyclopedia
Amy Mil Totenberg is a United States district judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
. She previously had been in private practice in Atlanta and also formerly served as a Special Master
for the United States District Court for the District of Maryland
. She received her judicial commission March 1, 2011.
, magna cum laude, in 1974 from Harvard-Radcliffe College
and a law degree
in 1977 from Harvard Law School
.
. In 1975 she was a legal assistant for Education/Instruccion in Roxbury, Massachusetts
and held this position into 1977. After graduating from law school, she served as a partner for The Law Project in Atlanta from 1977 until 1982 and served as a sole legal practitioner in Atlanta from 1982 until 1994.
Between 1988 and 1993, Totenberg was a part-time for the city of Atlanta as a pro hac vice
Municipal Court Judge.
From 1994 until 1998, Totenberg served as the first-ever general counsel for Atlanta's school system.
From 1998 until becoming a federal judge in 2011, Totenberg had served as a sole legal practitioner and arbitrator in Atlanta, working part-time as a special master and court monitor for several United States district courts. She also worked from 2004 until 2007 as an adjunct professor at the Emory University School of Law
.
On March 17, 2010, President Obama nominated Totenberg to fill the judicial vacancy on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia that had been created by the decision by Judge Jack Tarpley Camp Jr.
to assume senior status
at the end of 2008.
Totenberg was unanimously approved on December 1, 2010 by the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
with a voice vote
.
Senators returned Totenberg's nomination to President Obama at the end of the 111th Congress
and he resubmitted the nomination on January 5, 2011.
The U.S. Senate confirmed Totenberg in a voice vote on February 28, 2011. She received her commission March 1, 2011.
, the American legal affairs correspondent for National Public Radio.
Around 2005, Totenberg contributed to the Georgia ACLU.
In 2008, Totenberg contributed $1750 to Barack Obama
's presidential campaign.
United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia is a United States District Court which serves the residents of forty-six counties...
. She previously had been in private practice in Atlanta and also formerly served as a Special Master
Special master
In law, a special master is an authority appointed by a judge to make sure that judicial orders are actually followed.In England, at common law, there were "Masters in Chancery," who acted in aid of the Equity Courts. There were also "Masters in Lunacy," who conducted inquiries of the same nature...
for the United States District Court for the District of Maryland
United States District Court for the District of Maryland
The United States District Court for the District of Maryland is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Maryland....
. She received her judicial commission March 1, 2011.
Early life and education
Born in New York, New York, Totenberg earned an A.B.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, magna cum laude, in 1974 from Harvard-Radcliffe College
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and a law degree
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1977 from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
.
Legal career
Upon graduating from Harvard-Radcliffe, Totenberg worked as a summer intern at the law firm of James M. Haviland in Charleston, West VirginiaCharleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
. In 1975 she was a legal assistant for Education/Instruccion in Roxbury, Massachusetts
Roxbury, Massachusetts
Roxbury is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was one of the first towns founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, and became a city in 1846 until annexed to Boston on January 5, 1868...
and held this position into 1977. After graduating from law school, she served as a partner for The Law Project in Atlanta from 1977 until 1982 and served as a sole legal practitioner in Atlanta from 1982 until 1994.
Between 1988 and 1993, Totenberg was a part-time for the city of Atlanta as a pro hac vice
Pro hac vice
Pro hac vice , Latin: "for this occasion" or "for this event", is a legal term usually referring to a lawyer who has not been admitted to practice in a certain jurisdiction but has been allowed to participate in a particular case in that jurisdiction.The right to appear pro hac vice is not...
Municipal Court Judge.
From 1994 until 1998, Totenberg served as the first-ever general counsel for Atlanta's school system.
From 1998 until becoming a federal judge in 2011, Totenberg had served as a sole legal practitioner and arbitrator in Atlanta, working part-time as a special master and court monitor for several United States district courts. She also worked from 2004 until 2007 as an adjunct professor at the Emory University School of Law
Emory University School of Law
Emory University School of Law is a first-tier US law school that is part of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. It is ranked #30 among ABA-approved law schools by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report...
.
Federal judicial career
In February 2009, Totenberg submitted a resume and letter of interest for a United States district judgeship vacancy. After an interview by a committee appointed by the Georgia Democratic Congressional Delegation, Totenberg was among the applicants whose names were submitted to the White House.On March 17, 2010, President Obama nominated Totenberg to fill the judicial vacancy on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia that had been created by the decision by Judge Jack Tarpley Camp Jr.
Jack Tarpley Camp Jr.
Jack Tarpley Camp Jr. is a former United States federal judge who resigned from the bench in November 2010 after pleading guilty to drug related charges, including a felony count for giving a stripper cocaine even though he knew she was a convicted felon.-Early life and education:Born in Newnan,...
to assume senior status
Senior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
at the end of 2008.
Totenberg was unanimously approved on December 1, 2010 by the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary is a standing committee of the United States Senate, of the United States Congress. The Judiciary Committee, with 18 members, is charged with conducting hearings prior to the Senate votes on confirmation of federal judges nominated by the...
with a voice vote
Voice vote
A voice vote is a voting method used by deliberative assemblies in which a vote is taken on a topic or motion by responding verbally....
.
Senators returned Totenberg's nomination to President Obama at the end of the 111th Congress
111th United States Congress
The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of...
and he resubmitted the nomination on January 5, 2011.
The U.S. Senate confirmed Totenberg in a voice vote on February 28, 2011. She received her commission March 1, 2011.
Personal
Totenberg's sister is Nina TotenbergNina Totenberg
Nina Totenberg is an American legal affairs correspondent for National Public Radio focusing primarily on the activities and politics of the Supreme Court of the United States. Her reports air regularly on NPR's newsmagazines All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition...
, the American legal affairs correspondent for National Public Radio.
Around 2005, Totenberg contributed to the Georgia ACLU.
In 2008, Totenberg contributed $1750 to Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's presidential campaign.