Ronnie Abrams
Encyclopedia
Ronnie Abrams is an attorney for Davis Polk & Wardwell
in New York and a current federal judicial nominee for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
.
's Upper East Side
, where she attended the Dalton School. Abrams received a Bachelor of Arts
from Cornell University
in 1990, attended Duke Law School, and received a Juris Doctor
from Yale Law School
, where her father was an adjunct professor, in 1993. After completing law school, she served as a law clerk
for Judge Thomas P. Griesa
of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
In 2008, Abrams returned to Davis Polk as Special Counsel for Pro Bono. She had previously worked at the firm from 1994 to 1998.
Abrams is also an adjunct professor at Columbia Law School, where she teaches about investigating and prosecuting federal criminal cases.
recommended Abrams to fill a judicial vacancy on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
. On July 28, 2011, President Barack Obama
formally nominated Abrams to the Southern District of New York.
. Her brother, Dan Abrams
, is a television personality and internet entrepreneur who currently serves as legal analyst for Good Morning America
.
Abrams and her husband, Greg Andres, were married in 2001 by Judge Loretta A. Preska
.
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is an international law firm. The firm employs more than 800 attorneys worldwide and is headquartered in New York City. The firm represents many of the world's largest companies and leading financial institutions, and is best known for its corporate and litigation...
in New York and a current federal judicial nominee for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
.
Early life and education
Abrams was one of two children born to Floyd and Efrat Abrams. She was raised in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Upper East Side
Upper East Side
The Upper East Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, between Central Park and the East River. The Upper East Side lies within an area bounded by 59th Street to 96th Street, and the East River to Fifth Avenue-Central Park...
, where she attended the Dalton School. Abrams received a Bachelor of Arts
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...
from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1990, attended Duke Law School, and received a Juris Doctor
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...
from Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
, where her father was an adjunct professor, in 1993. After completing law school, she served as a law clerk
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
for Judge Thomas P. Griesa
Thomas P. Griesa
Thomas Poole Griesa is a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.Judge Griesa received an A.B. from Harvard University in 1952 and an LL.B. from Stanford Law School in 1958....
of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Professional career
From 1998 to 2008, Abrams worked as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, where she served as Chief of the General Crimes Unit from 2005 to 2007 and Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division from 2007 to 2008. She received the U.S. Department of Justice Director's Award for Superior Performance for two cases. The first case involved the convictions of members of a Colombian gang wanted for the murder of a New York City police detective and some 100 armed robberies; the second case was for the convictions of leaders of the Bloods gang.In 2008, Abrams returned to Davis Polk as Special Counsel for Pro Bono. She had previously worked at the firm from 1994 to 1998.
Abrams is also an adjunct professor at Columbia Law School, where she teaches about investigating and prosecuting federal criminal cases.
Judicial nomination
Senator Kirsten GillibrandKirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik Gillibrand is an attorney and the junior United States Senator from the state of New York and a member of the Democratic Party...
recommended Abrams to fill a judicial vacancy on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
. On July 28, 2011, President 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...
formally nominated Abrams to the Southern District of New York.
Personal
Abrams is the daughter of noted First Amendment lawyer Floyd AbramsFloyd Abrams
Floyd Abrams is an American attorney at Cahill Gordon & Reindel. He is an expert on constitutional law, and many arguments in the briefs he has written before the United States Supreme Court have been adopted as United States Constitutional interpretative law as it relates to the First Amendment...
. Her brother, Dan Abrams
Dan Abrams
Dan Abrams is an American television host, legal commentator, web entrepreneur and best-selling author. He is currently Legal Analyst at ABC News Good Morning America , and a substitute anchor for the network. He formerly served as Chief Legal Analyst for NBC News, as General Manager of MSNBC and...
, is a television personality and internet entrepreneur who currently serves as legal analyst for Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
.
Abrams and her husband, Greg Andres, were married in 2001 by Judge Loretta A. Preska
Loretta A. Preska
Loretta A. Preska is the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and a former nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.-Background:...
.