Victoria F. Nourse
Encyclopedia
Victoria Frances Nourse (born November 9, 1958) is currently the Burrus-Bascom Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin School of Law. She is also the nominee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
.
and received her Bachelor of Arts
from Stanford University
in 1980 and later received her Juris Doctor
from the University of California, Boalt Hall School of Law in 1984.
in 1980. From 1980 through 1981 she worked for the Center for the Study of the California Economy as a research assistant. In 1982, Norse took a position as a summer associate with the firm of Dorr, Cooper & Hays in San Francisco. In 1983 she worked for Steptoe & Johnson
as a summer associate in Washington, D.C.
Her summer associate position in 1984 was with the law firm of Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett in New York City, New York.
After graduating from law school, Nourse clerked for Judge Edward Weinfeld
of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
in 1984 and 1985. During 1985 to 1987 and the winter of 1988, she worked in for the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
. In 1987 she worked as an assistant counsel on the United States Senate Committee to Investigate the Iran-Contra Affair.
During 1988 to 1990, Nourse was an appellate attorney with the United States Department of Justice
working in the civil division. From 1990 to 1993, she worked as counsel and special counsel for the United States Senate Judiciary Committee and was heavily involved in writing the Violence Against Women Act
. She did this work under then-Senator, now Vice President, Joe Biden
. This generated national controversy when Biden attempted to claim he was the author of VAWA.
Her historic battle to uphold VAWA is documented in many books, including "Equal: Women Reshape American Law" By Fred Strebeigh. In this book she was included alongside Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
as a woman who had a history-changing effect on the law.
From 1996 to 1997, Nourse was a visiting professor of law at the University of Maryland School of Law
. During the fall semester of 2002, she was a visiting professor of law at Yale Law School
and taught law at New York University School of Law
in the spring of 2003. From 2008 to 2010, Nourse was the LQC Lamar Professor of Law at Emory University School of Law
in Atlanta.
and Russ Feingold
forwarded four names to the Obama White House
for consideration to fill the vacancy on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
created when Judge Terence T. Evans
assumed senior status
. Nourse was recommended along with District Court Judge Lynn S. Adelman
, Richard Sankovitz, and Dean Strang.
On July 14, 2010, Obama nominated Nourse to the vacancy.
.
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the courts in the following districts:* Central District of Illinois* Northern District of Illinois...
.
Early life and education
Nourse was born in Dunedin, FloridaDunedin, Florida
Dunedin is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The name comes from Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The population was 35,691 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 36,632...
and received her 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 Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1980 and later received her 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 the University of California, Boalt Hall School of Law in 1984.
Professional career
Nourse's first employment was as a waitress at Cafe Meursault in Palo Alto, CaliforniaPalo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
in 1980. From 1980 through 1981 she worked for the Center for the Study of the California Economy as a research assistant. In 1982, Norse took a position as a summer associate with the firm of Dorr, Cooper & Hays in San Francisco. In 1983 she worked for Steptoe & Johnson
Steptoe & Johnson
Steptoe & Johnson LLP is an international law firm recognized for representation of clients before governmental agencies, advocacy in complex litigation and arbitration, and advice in guiding business transactions...
as a summer associate in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Her summer associate position in 1984 was with the law firm of Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett in New York City, New York.
After graduating from law school, Nourse clerked for Judge Edward Weinfeld
Edward Weinfeld
Edward Weinfeld was a longtime federal judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, from 1950 to 1988....
of 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...
in 1984 and 1985. During 1985 to 1987 and the winter of 1988, she worked in for the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is a law firm headquartered on Sixth Avenue in New York City. The firm has well-noted expertise in its corporate, personal representation, entertainment law and litigation practices, having long been a leader among national litigation firms...
. In 1987 she worked as an assistant counsel on the United States Senate Committee to Investigate the Iran-Contra Affair.
During 1988 to 1990, Nourse was an appellate attorney with the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
working in the civil division. From 1990 to 1993, she worked as counsel and special counsel for the United States Senate Judiciary Committee and was heavily involved in writing the Violence Against Women Act
Violence Against Women Act
The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 is a United States federal law. It was passed as Title IV, sec. 40001-40703 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, , and signed as by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994...
. She did this work under then-Senator, now Vice President, Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
. This generated national controversy when Biden attempted to claim he was the author of VAWA.
Her historic battle to uphold VAWA is documented in many books, including "Equal: Women Reshape American Law" By Fred Strebeigh. In this book she was included alongside Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Ginsburg was appointed by President Bill Clinton and took the oath of office on August 10, 1993. She is the second female justice and the first Jewish female justice.She is generally viewed as belonging to...
as a woman who had a history-changing effect on the law.
From 1996 to 1997, Nourse was a visiting professor of law at the University of Maryland School of Law
University of Maryland School of Law
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is the second-oldest law school in the United States by date of establishment and third-oldest by date of first classes. The school is located on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in Downtown Baltimore's West Side...
. During the fall semester of 2002, she was a visiting professor of law at 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...
and taught law at New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
in the spring of 2003. From 2008 to 2010, Nourse was the LQC Lamar Professor of Law at 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...
in Atlanta.
Consideration for Seventh Circuit
On January 22, 2010, United States Senators Herb KohlHerb Kohl
Herbert H. "Herb" Kohl is the senior U.S. Senator from Wisconsin and a member of the Democratic Party. He is also a philanthropist and the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks National Basketball Association team...
and Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
Russell Dana "Russ" Feingold is an American politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He served as a Democratic party member of the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2011. From 1983 to 1993, Feingold was a Wisconsin State Senator representing the 27th District.He is a recipient of the John F...
forwarded four names to the Obama White House
Presidency of Barack Obama
The Presidency of Barack Obama began at noon EST on January 20, 2009 when he became the 44th President of the United States. Obama was a United States Senator from Illinois at the time of his victory over Arizona Senator John McCain in the 2008 presidential election...
for consideration to fill the vacancy on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the courts in the following districts:* Central District of Illinois* Northern District of Illinois...
created when Judge Terence T. Evans
Terence T. Evans
Terence Thomas Evans was a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.Evans received a B.A.degree from Marquette University in 1962 and his J.D. degree from Marquette University Law School in 1967. He was assistant district attorney for Milwaukee County, Wisconsin and was...
assumed 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...
. Nourse was recommended along with District Court Judge Lynn S. Adelman
Lynn S. Adelman
Lynn S. Adelman is a United States federal judge.Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Adelman received an A.B. from Princeton University in 1961 and an LL.B. from Columbia Law School in 1965. He was a research assistant at Columbia from 1965 to 1966, and a law clerk to attorney Richard H. Kuh in 1966...
, Richard Sankovitz, and Dean Strang.
On July 14, 2010, Obama nominated Nourse to the vacancy.
Personal
Nourse is the daughter-in-law of United States federal judge Richard D. Cudahy who is a currently on senior status from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the courts in the following districts:* Central District of Illinois* Northern District of Illinois...
.