James C. Duff

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James C. Duff
James C. Duff
Incumbent
Assumed office 
July 1, 2006
Appointed by John G. Roberts, Jr.
Preceded by Leonidas Ralph Mecham

James C. Duff is the current Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. His appointment by the United States Chief Justice John Roberts was announced on April 20, 2006.[1] Duff assumed the office on July 1, 2006, succeeding Leonidas Ralph Mecham, who had served as Director for more than two decades.

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[edit] Education and early career

Duff graduated from the University of Kentucky Honors Program in 1975 with a degree in political science and philosophy, where he was Phi Beta Kappa and played on the university’s basketball team. After studying at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland in 1974, he returned to the U.S. in 1975 to work as an aide in the chambers of Chief Justice Warren E. Burger.[2] He graduated from Georgetown Law School in 1981,[3] then worked at the law firm Clifford and Warnke, where, nine years later, in 1990, he became a partner. In 1991, following the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) scandal that resulted in the law firm's dissolution,[4] a large contingent of Clifford and Warnke lawyers and staff, including Mr. Duff, were acquired by the firm of Howrey and Simon.[5] Duff's practice focused on antitrust and commercial litigation and international trade.

[edit] Legal and political career

From 1996 to 2000, Duff was Chief Justice William Rehnquist's Administrative Assistant,[3] serving as his liaison with the other branches of government and as Executive Director of the Judicial Fellows Commission. Preceding Sally Rider as the equivalent of the Chief Justice's chief of staff,[6] Duff assisted Rehnquist in his roles as chair of the Judicial Conference of the United States and the Federal Judicial Center Board and as presiding officer of the U.S. Senate’s 1999 impeachment trial of President Clinton.

From 2000 to 2006, Duff served as the managing partner of the Washington office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, a firm based in Memphis, Tennessee.[7][8] He has represented the Federal Judges Association before Congress[9] as well as The Freedom Forum,[citation needed] the nonpartisan foundation that runs Washington, D.C.’s Newseum, the First Amendment Center, and the Diversity Institute at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

In September 2005, Duff was a pallbearer at Rehnquist's funeral,[10][2] alongside seven of Rehnquist's former law clerks.

[edit] Biographical information

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Duff and his wife, Kathleen Gallagher Duff, live in Bethesda, Maryland, and have three children.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Arberg, Kathy (April 2006). Press Release. (PDF), (HTML). Retrieved on 2008-05-08
  2. ^ a b Davis, Marcia (September 5, 2005). One Man's Unwavering Constitution. The Washington Post C1. Retrieved on 2008-05-08.
  3. ^ a b New Administrative Assistant Begins Duties at Supreme Court. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.
  4. ^ Kerry, John; Brown, Hank (December 1992). Clark Clifford and Robert Altman. The BCCI Affair. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.
  5. ^ Walsh, Sharon (December 1991). "Warnke, Others Leave Clark Clifford Law Firm." The Washington Post. C1. ProQuest. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.
  6. ^ New Administrative Assistant at Supreme Court. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.
  7. ^ Chief Justice Roberts Appoints Jim Duff of Baker Donelson to U.S. Courts Director Position. www.BakerDonelson.com (2006-05-12). Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
  8. ^ "Noted ...." Wall Street Journal. April 25, 2006: B11. ProQuest. Retrieved on 2008-05-08.
  9. ^ Federal Judges Association Newsletter (November 30, 2004). Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
  10. ^ McGough, Michael (September 7, 2005). Rehnquist lies in state. Post Gazette. Retrieved on 2008-05-08.

[edit] External links