The New United States District Judges for the District of Delaware Are Confirmed

On August 1, 2018, the Senate confirmed Colm F. Connolly and Maryellen Noreika as the District of Delaware’s newest District Judges. Connolly will fill the seat vacated by the retirement of Judge Sue L. Robinson, and Noreika will fill the seat vacated by Senior Judge Gregory M. Sleet. These confirmations return the District of Delaware to a full complement of District Judges.

Colm Connolly is a partner with the law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, where he manages the Wilmington office as 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, Mr. Connolly spent more than two years as a partner in the Wilmington law firm Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP. Prior to joining Morris Nichols, Mr. Connolly 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. Mr. Connolly 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 in the Wilmington law firm of Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP where she began her career as an associate upon graduation from law school in 1993. During her 24 years at Morris Nichols, Ms. Noreika has served as counsel in more than 500 cases, while specializing in patent law, and representing parties in cases involving biotechnology, chemistry, consumer products, computer science, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals. Ms. Noreika 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, where she was inducted into the Order of the Coif, and served as a member of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review.

The nominees’ answers to the Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees can be accessed below:

Connolly:
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Connolly%20SJQ.pdf

Noreika:
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Noreika%20SJQ.pdf