A Message from Senator Menendez

<>Dear Mr. Green:

 

It was an extraordinary pleasure to have risen on the Senate floor Monday afternoon to strongly support the nomination of Judge Michael Shipp for the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.  Judge Shipp's strong qualifications and reputation for excellence make him an exceptional candidate for the federal bench.  Judge Shipp is an accomplished jurist with impressive credentials.  With tremendous pride, I recommended Judge Shipp to President Obama and I urged all of my colleagues in the Senate to support his nomination.   Today I am proud to report that Judge Shipp was confirmed with a vote of 91 to 1 to the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.  

 

With almost five years experience as a federal magistrate judge for the District of New Jersey, Judge Shipp is well prepared to assume a seat as a federal district judge.  As a magistrate, he has successfully managed significant and complex cases. On occasion, Judge Shipp has served as the district court judge in cases with magistrate jurisdiction.

 

Michael Shipp is an accomplished jurist, experienced prosecutor, dedicated public servant, and an effective administrator and manager. The first eight years of his distinguished legal career were spent in the litigation department at the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.  In 2003, he turned to public service to give something back to the community as an Assistant Attorney General for Consumer Protection in the Office of the Attorney General of New Jersey.  Here he honed his expertise in consumer fraud, insurance fraud, and securities fraud cases.  Not only did Judge Shipp excel, he was twice promoted within the Office, first as Liaison to the Attorney General, and second as Counsel to the Attorney General. In his capacity as Counsel, he was in charge of day-to-day operations of the Department of Law and Public Safety, a department with over 10,000 employees and 800 attorneys.

 

Not surprisingly, Judge Shipp has not stayed on the sidelines – even with a full plate, he has always been deeply involved in the legal community in helping address the profession's needs and concerns.  As many of you well know, he held a leadership role with the New Jersey State Bar Association, and is actively involved with the Garden State Bar Association.  As a faculty member of Seton Hall University School of Law's Summer Institute for Pre-Legal Studies, he helped disadvantaged students develop their interest in the law and served on the faculty of the New Jersey Attorney General's Advocacy Institute, which ensures that attorneys representing the State of New Jersey maintain the highest possible levels of professionalism.

 

A proud New Jerseyan, Judge Shipp is a very active member of the community with deep roots in our great State.  A native of Paterson, he has lived in New Jersey all of his life.  He earned his degrees from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; and Seton Hall University School of Law.  Desiring to remain in New Jersey for his clerkship, Judge Shipp was fortunate enough upon graduation to secure a clerkship for the Honorable James Coleman, a Justice on the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

 

When the decision came to recommend Judge Shipp to President Obama, his principle, excellent judicial temperament, extraordinary legal experience and a deep and abiding commitment to the rule of law made him the extraordinary choice.  I have full confidence that he will serve the people of New Jersey with all the dignity, fairness, and honor that he has shown throughout his extraordinary career.

 

We are lucky to have a jurist of this caliber, and I wholeheartedly congratulate the Judge as he begins his service as a District Judge for the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.