Attorney General Holder Expands U.S. Attorney Advisory Committee

Appoints Nine New U.S. Attorneys

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Attorney General Eric Holder
today announced the appointment of nine new U.S. Attorneys to serve two-year
terms on the Attorney General's Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC).
The new appointees include: U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New
York Preet Bharara; U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona Dennis Burke;
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington Jenny Durkan; U.S.
Attorney for the District of New Jersey Paul J. Fishman; U.S. Attorney for the
Northern District of Illinois Patrick J. Fitzgerald; U.S. Attorney for the
Eastern District of Virginia Neil H. MacBride; U.S. Attorney for the District
of Rhode Island Peter F. Neronha; U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of
Alabama Joyce White Vance; and Acting U.S. Attorney, ex officio, for the
District of Columbia Channing D. Phillips. John S. Davis, Criminal Chief for
the Eastern District of Virginia, was also appointed to the committee to
represent the voice of the Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the field.

"This is a critical and exciting time for the Department of Justice and I will
rely heavily on these U.S. Attorneys as we work to further the Department's
efforts to reduce violent crime and gang violence, promote civil rights,
ensure fairness in the marketplace and above all, preserve our national
security," said Attorney General Holder.

The AGAC, chaired by U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota B. Todd
Jones, was created in 1973. The committee, which reports to the Attorney
General through the Deputy Attorney General, represents the voice of the U.S.
Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy,
management and operational issues impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys.

"This committee provides crucial advice to the Department's leadership in
helping shape key policies to accomplish our core mission of serving justice,
and these distinguished U.S. Attorneys bring the experience, dedication and
drive necessary to successfully serve this important role," said Deputy
Attorney General David W. Ogden.

A brief bio on each nominee is below:

Preet Bharara was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern
District of New York on Aug. 13, 2009. Bharara previously served as Chief
Counsel to U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (2005-2009); Adjunct Professor at
Fordham University School of Law (2003-2005); Assistant U.S. Attorney for the
Southern District of New York (2000-2005); litigation associate with Shereff,
Friedman, Hoffman & Goodman LLP (1996-2000); and litigation associate with
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (1993-1996).

Dennis Burke was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of
Arizona on Sept. 16, 2009. Prior to his appointment, Burke served as Senior
Advisor to the Secretary for Homeland Security (2009) and as a member of the
Obama/Biden Transition Team (2008-2009). Burke served as Chief of Staff for
the Governor of Arizona (2003-2008); Chief Deputy/Special Assistant for the
Arizona State Attorney General (1999-2003); Acting Assistant Attorney General,
Office of Legislative Affairs, Department of Justice (1999); Assistant U.S.
Attorney for the District of Arizona (1997-1999); Senior Policy Analyst,
Domestic Policy Council, The White House (1995-1997); Special Counsel, Office
of Legislative Affairs, Department of Justice (1994-1995); and Majority
Counsel for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Patents,
Copyrights and Trademarks (1989-1994).

Jenny Durkan was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western
District of Washington on Oct. 1, 2009. Durkan previously served as solo
practitioner for the law offices of Jenny Durkan (1997-2009); Executive
Counsel for the Office of the Governor, Washington State (1994 -1995);
associate attorney (1991-1994) and shareholder (1996-1997), Schroeter,
Goldmark and Bender; associate attorney, Williams and Connolly (1987-1991);
and associate attorney, Foster, Pepper & Riviera (1985-1987).

Paul J. Fishman was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of
New Jersey on Oct. 14, 2009. Prior to his appointment he served as partner
with Friedman, Kaplan, Seiler & Adelman LLP (1997-2009). Fishman served in the
Office of the Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice, as Principal
Associate Deputy Attorney General (1997), Associate Deputy Attorney General
(1995-1997) and Counsel (1994). Fishman also served as Assistant U.S. Attorney
for the District of New Jersey (1983-1994).

Patrick J. Fitzgerald was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the
Northern District of Illinois in October 2001, and was Attorney General
appointed in August-October 2001. Fitzgerald was a member of the AGAC in
2001-2004 and 2008-2009, serving as interim chair in 2009. Prior to his
appointment as U.S. Attorney, Fitzgerald served in the U.S. Attorney's Office
in the Southern District of New York as Chief of the Organized Crime-Terrorism
Unit (1995-2001), Chief of the Narcotics Unit (1994), and Assistant U.S.
Attorney (1988-1994). Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney's Office, Fitzgerald
was a litigation associate with Christy & Viener, New York, N.Y. (1985-1988).

Neil H. MacBride was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Eastern
District of Virginia on Sept. 18, 2009. McBride previously served as Associate
Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice (2009); General Counsel and
Vice President, Anti-Piracy for Business Software Alliance (2005-2009); Chief
Counsel and Staff Director for Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr., U.S. Senate,
Committee on the Judiciary (2001-2005); Assistant U.S. Attorney for the
District of Columbia (1997-2001); and associate with Verner, Liipfert,
Bernhard, McPherson & Hand, Chartered (1993-1997).

Peter F. Neronha was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the District
of Rhode Island on September 16, 2009. He previously served as Assistant U.S.
Attorney for the District of Rhode Island (2002-2009); Assistant Attorney
General (2001-2002) and Special Assistant Attorney General (1996-2001) for the
Department of the Attorney General, state of Rhode Island; and Associate with
Goodwin Proctor LLP (1989-1995).

Joyce White Vance was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Northern
District of Alabama on Aug. 27, 2009, and was Attorney General appointed in
June 2009-August 2009. Vance served as Assistant U.S. Attorney and Appellate
Division Chief for the Northern District of Ala. (1991-2009); associate with
Bradley, Arant, Rose & White, Birmingham, Ala. (1988-1991); summer associate
with McDermott, Will & Emery, Washington, DC (1988); and associate with Arant,
ox Kitner, Plotkin & Kahn, Washington, DC (1984-1988).

Channing D. Phillips was appointed Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of
Columbia on May 30, 2009. Phillips previously served in the U.S. Attorney's
Office for the District of Columbia as Principal Assistant U.S. Attorney
(2004-2009), Chief of Staff (2001-2004), Special Counsel (1997-2001) and
Assistant U.S. Attorney (1994-1997). Phillips was a trial attorney with the
Organized Crime and Racketeering Section, Department of Justice (1990-1994).

SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs, +1-202-514-2007, TDD
+1-202-514-1888