President Obama announced a couple of nominations this week impacting the Northern District of Illinois and the national patent bar.

First, President Obama appointed WilmerHale partner Edward DuMont to the Federal Circuit.  DuMont clerked for the Seventh Circuit’s Judge Posner and was an Assistant to the Solicitor General where he briefed and argued Supreme Court cases.  DuMont currently has an appellate practice with a considerable focus on patent and intellectual property issues (click here for DuMont’s firm bio).  DuMont also spent a year working for a law firm in Bangkok, Thailand.  DuMont’s Supreme Court and varied appellate experience make him a very interesting choice to take Judge Michel’s place on the Federal Circuit bench.

Second, President Obama has nominated the Northern District’s Deputy U.S. Marshall Senior Inspector Darryl McPherson to become the Northern District’s next U.S. Marshall.  McPherson has served as a Deputy U.S. Marshall since 1999 and won a Special Recognition award for his service as lead Deputy Marshall for Judge Lefkow. 

Both nomination must be confirmed by a vote of the U.S. Senate.