Obama nominates Iowa attorney to U.S. Court of Appeals

President Obama nominated Jane Kelly and Gregory Alan Phillips to the United States Court of Appeals today.

Kelly has been an assistant federal public defender in the Northern District of Iowa since 1994, serving as the supervising attorney in the Cedar Rapids office since 1999.

She is now a nominee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Kelly was born and raised in Greencastle, Ind.

She received her bachelor of arts degree summa cum laude in 1987 from Duke University and her juris doctorate degree cum laude in 1991 from Harvard Law School.

After law school, Kelly clerked for the Hon. Donald J. Porter of the U.S, District Court for the District of South Dakota.

She has also clerked for the Hon. David R. Hansen on the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Prior to becoming an assistant federal public defender, Kelly worked briefly as a visiting instructor at the University of Illinois College of Law.

Since joining the Federal Public Defender?s Office, Kelly has argued numerous federal appellate cases, tried 14 cases to verdict in federal court, and argued countless motions.

In 2004, she received the John Adams Award from the Iowa Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, which is given annually to an Iowa attorney who has dedicated his or her career to defending the indigent.

The second nominee has served as Wyoming?s attorney general since March 2011. As attorney general, he is the chief law enforcement officer of the state and his office represents Wyoming in all criminal appeals and civil suits before state and federal courts.

?Jane Kelly and Gregory Alan Phillips have proven themselves to be not only first-rate legal minds but faithful public servants,? said Obama, according the White House Office of the Press Secretary.

?It is with full confidence in their ability, integrity and independence that I nominate them to the bench of the United States Court of Appeals.?