A New York attorney with Caribbean roots could get President Obama’s nod to to serve as a judge on the prestigious United States District Court for the Eastern District.
Last week, U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer announced that he is recommending Margo Brodie, an accomplished lawyer who has worked for the City of New York, in private practice, and in the United States Justice Department for over a decade to the president.
If confirmed, Brodie would become the only sitting federal judge of Caribbean descent. In recommending Brodie to President Obama, Schumer cited her experience, even-handed temperament, years of varied public service, and stellar legal credentials.
“I am pleased to recommend Margo Brodie to President Obama for an appointment on the federal bench. Margo’s years working at the Justice Department and for the City of New York, demonstrate the kind of commitment to public service that we need in federal judges,” said Schumer. “Combined with her legal excellence, even-handed temperament, and New York roots, I can think of no one better to serve us on the Eastern District Court.”
Born in Antigua, Brodie earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Francis College in Brooklyn, and her JD from the University of Pennsylvania. Upon graduating from law school, Brodie began her career in public service as assistant corporation counsel of the City of New York in the Real Estate Litigation Division. There she defended City agencies and officials in state and federal court from litigation challenging the exercise of discretionary power in the management of municipal affairs. After working for the City of New York for three years, Brodie went to work at the law firm of Carter, Ledyard & Milburn, participating in a variety of commercial cases.
If confirmed, Brodie would be the only Caribbean-born federal judge serving in the United States. She would also be the only judge of Caribbean descent on either the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
After 5 years at Carter, Ledyard, & Milburn, Brodie returned to public service and began working at the United States Justice Department, where she served as an assistant United States attorney representing the United States in a variety of cases including those involving public corruption, money laundering, and narcotics and gun trafficking.
Since 2007, Brodie has been chief of the General Crimes Unit, where she supervises 25 assistant United States attorneys and 3 deputy chiefs. She is admitted to practice in a number of federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States.
In addition to her extensive legal experience, Brodie has been involved in a wide variety of organizations outside of the courtroom and served as a legal advisor to countries around the world. She has been a former president of the Association of Black Women Attorneys and has been a member of the association for 15 years. Brodie is also is a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the Metropolitan Black Bar Association, and the National Black Prosecutors Association.
From 2005 to 2006, Brodie served as a legal advisor to the Nigerian Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, an anti-public corruption commission. In 2008, she served on a panel on Financial Crimes and Intellectual Property for law enforcement officials in Trinidad, sponsored by the United States Department of Justice and the United States Embassy. She also served as a panel member for the FBI’s African and Middle Eastern National Academy Associates Conference in Ghana.
