For Immediate Release:
September 20, 2022

NAPABA Applauds the Bipartisan Confirmation of Judge Florence Y. Pan to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia

WASHINGTON — Today, the Senate confirmed Judge Florence Y. Pan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit by a vote of 52 to 42. Judge Pan is the first Chinese American to serve on the D.C. Circuit, the “second most powerful court” in the nation.

“NAPABA congratulates Judge Pan on her historic confirmation to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit,” said A.B. Cruz III, acting president of NAPABA. “Today marks Judge Pan’s third Senate confirmation with bipartisan support. Active in both the AAPI and mainstream legal communities, Judge Pan has established a reputation as a bright, well respected, and community-minded member of our profession. We are pleased to have supported Judge Pan’s nomination and we celebrate her confirmation.” 

Judge Pan was the first AAPI woman to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia when she was confirmed in 2021. In 2009, Judge Pan was the first judicial nominee to be confirmed under the Obama administration and she became the first AAPI judge to serve on any level in Washington, D.C. when confirmed to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.   

Prior to her appointment to the court, Judge Pan was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, including serving two years as deputy chief of the appellate division. She also held positions at the Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury, notably in the Office of the Solicitor General. Judge Pan has taught at Georgetown University Law Center and American University Washington College of Law, and is active in her community, having served as the Secretary of NAPABA’s Judicial Council. 

She formerly served as a law clerk for the Honorable Ralph K. Winter, Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Honorable Michael B. Mukasey of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Judge Pan is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford Law School.

NAPABA thanks President Biden for nominating Judge Florence Y. Pan.

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting APA communities. Through its national network, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of all backgrounds in the legal profession.