Introducing Two Attorneys Soon to Be Our New District Court Judges in Delaware

On February 14, 2017, the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on the nominations of Colm F. Connolly and Maryellen Noreika to be United States District Judges for the District of Delaware. If these two nominees are confirmed, the Delaware District Court will be back to a full complement of four Article III Judges and three Magistrate Judges. The Connolly and Norieka nominations will next be voted on by the full Senate, although a specific date has not been set.

Colm Connolly is a partner with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. Colm manages the Delaware office and is a member of the firm’s litigation and intellectual property practice groups. He joined Morgan Lewis in 2009, after serving eight years as the United States Attorney for the District of Delaware. Before his confirmation as United States Attorney, Colm was a partner at Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP, a Delaware law firm. Prior to joining Morris Nichols, Colm served for seven years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Delaware and as a law clerk to Judge Walter K. Stapleton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Colm successfully prosecuted Delaware attorney Tom Capano for the murder of Anne Marie Fahey. Colm earned his B.A., with honors, from the University of Notre Dame, his M.Sc. from the London School of Economics, and his J.D., with honors, from the Duke University School of Law.

Maryellen Noreika is a partner with Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP where she began her career as an associate upon graduation from law school in 1993. For over 20 years, Maryellen has specialized in patent law, and has represented parties in many different technologies from biotechnology and chemistry to consumer products and computer technology. Maryellen earned her B.S. from Lehigh University, her M.A. in biology from Columbia University, and her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh. At Pitt, she was inducted into the Order of the Coif, and served as a member of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review.

I have known Colm and Maryellen for many years and look forward to seeing each of them confirmed and seated in black robes on the bench this year!