[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 183 (Tuesday, October 19, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7062-S7063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS

  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, this week, the Senate will consider 
Christine O'Hearn's nomination for the U.S. District Court for the 
District of New Jersey.
  Ms. O'Hearn is eminently qualified to be a district court judge.
  She has nearly 30 years of experience as a litigator in private 
practice. During that time, she has tried numerous cases to verdict and 
has completed more than 150 trial days as lead counsel.
  Ms. O'Hearn has worked on both the plaintiff and defense sides of 
complex civil litigation matters, with her core focus being employment 
law.
  In addition to representing individual clients, Ms. O'Hearn has 
represented both private and public entities, including a number of 
county and municipal governments.

[[Page S7063]]

  Throughout her career, Ms. O'Hearn has also given back to the legal 
community. For example, she has served on the New Jersey Supreme 
Court's Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law; the U.S. 
Magistrate Judge Selection Committee for Camden, NJ; and the New Jersey 
Supreme Court District IV Ethics Committee.
  While serving on the New Jersey Supreme Court's Ethics Committee, Ms. 
O'Hearn devoted hundreds of hours--pro bono--to prosecuting an attorney 
for violating the New Jersey Rules of Professional Conduct. After a 15-
day trial before a Special Master, the attorney was found to have 
violated multiple Rules of Professional Conduct. Ms. O'Hearn also 
briefed and argued the case on appeal, where the ruling was affirmed.
  Numerous groups and individuals have written letters of support for 
Ms. O'Hearn's nomination, including: the New Jersey State Bar 
Association, the Camden County Bar Association, and dozens of New 
Jersey Fellows with the American College of Trial Lawyers.
  With her extensive experience, it is no surprise that Ms. O'Hearn was 
unanimously rated ``well qualified'' by the American Bar Association.
  Ms. O'Hearn has the strong support of her home state Senators, 
Senators Menendez and Booker, and she received bipartisan support in 
the Judiciary Committee.
  With decades of legal experience on behalf of plaintiffs and 
defendants alike, Ms. O'Hearn is well prepared to serve with 
distinction in the District of New Jersey.
  I urge my colleagues to join me voting in support of her nomination.

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