ROOKIE

Senate to Vote on Trump Judge Pick Who’s Only Done 2 Trials

The American Bar Association has raised concerns about the qualifications of Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, who has been a lawyer for just eight years.

The American Bar Association has raised questions about the qualifications of one of President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees—a 33-year-old attorney whose only trial experience is two cases when she was intern in law school. If confirmed to the bench in the Middle District of Florida, Kathryn Kimball Mizelle would be among the youngest federal judges in the country. The Tampa Bay Times reports that the bar association is concerned Mizelle—who clerked for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for a year—has been a lawyer for just eight years. “Ms. Mizelle has a very keen intellect, a strong work ethic and an impressive resume,” it wrote to the Senate Judiciary Committee. “These attributes, however, simply do not compensate for the short time she has actually practiced law and her lack of meaningful trial experience.” The committee voted to send her name to the full Senate for approval.