THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

"I am proud to nominate this outstanding candidate to serve on the United States District Court bench," said President Obama. "Pamela Chen has a long and distinguished record of service, and I am confident she will serve on the federal bench with distinction."

The Washington Blade reported: "In addition to being one the few openly LGBT people to serve on the federal bench upon confirmation, she would be the second female Chinese-American judge in history."

The White House announced stated: Pamela Ki Mai Chen: Nominee for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Pamela Ki Mai Chen has been an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of New York since 1998, with the exception of a four-month period in 2008 when she served as Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement for the New York State Division of Human Rights. During her time at the United States Attorney's Office, Chen has held many supervisory positions, including Chief of the Civil Rights Section and Deputy Chief of the Public Integrity Section. From 1991 to 1998, Chen was a trial attorney in the Special Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division at the United States Department of Justice. She began her legal career in Washington, D.C., at the criminal defense firm of Asbill, Junkin, Myers & Buffone from 1989 to 1991, and at the law firm of Arnold & Porter from 1986 to 1989. Chen received her J.D. in 1986 from the Georgetown University Law Center and her B.A. in 1983 from the University of Michigan.