Cohen to Speak at Investiture of Newly-Confirmed Federal Judge Sheryl Lipman

[MEMPHIS, TN] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) will give remarks tomorrow afternoon at the investiture ceremony of new U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman, where Judge Lipman’s status as federal judge will be formally conferred. Congressman Cohen recommended Judge Lipman, who was serving as Chief of Staff to University of Memphis Interim President R. Brad Martin at the time, to President Obama to fill a vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee after the Congressman convened a diverse and bipartisan screening committee to conduct interviews of nine potential candidates for the position. Judge Lipman was later confirmed by the U.S. Senate with an overwhelming 95-0 vote.

“I am extremely pleased that President Obama accepted my recommendation and nominated Sheryl Lipman to be our new U.S. Federal District Judge,” said Congressman Cohen. “She has a wealth of life and professional experience, which attracted diverse, bipartisan, and biracial support. She was the overwhelming choice of the panel which helped me make my recommendation. I know she will make an outstanding judge who puts fairness and justice into every ounce of her work.”

Prior to Judge Lipman’s Senate confirmation, Congressman Cohen spoke on the floor of the United States House of Representatives in support of her confirmation. Footage of the Congressman’s speech is available here. Before recommending Judge Lipman to the President, Congressman Cohen interviewed all nine candidates for this judicial vacancy with his bipartisan committee of thirteen local attorneys. This screening panel was not only unique in its distinguished composition, but in its diversity as well. It included attorneys from the Memphis Bar Association, the Women’s Bar Association, the Federal Public Defender’s office in Memphis, and other prominent local attorneys. Sheri Lipman was the screening committee’s clear choice, receiving nine first place votes, and the Congressman promptly recommended her to President Obama to fill this vacancy.

Judge Lipman has been an attorney since 1987 and has a wealth of legal experience. After attending the University of Michigan for her undergraduate degree, Judge Lipman received her J.D. from the New York University School of Law. She first clerked for the Honorable Julia S. Gibbons, who now sits on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, when Judge Gibbons was a District Court Judge. Judge Lipman was an attorney at the Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs law office in Memphis for more than 4 years before practicing at the venerable Burch, Porter and Johnson law firm from 1997 to 1999. She also served as Vice President of Comprehensive Services at the Memphis Race Relations & Diversity Institute from 1996 to 1997. For nearly 14 years, she worked at the University of Memphis—first as Senior Attorney, then serving as University Counsel for more than a decade before being named Chief of Staff to Interim President R. Brad Martin.