Sarah Russell Confirmed by Senate to U.S. District Court
On. Nov. 19, the U.S. Senate confirmed Sarah Russell ’02 to sit on the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.
In praise of that nomination, Sen. Richard Blumenthal '73 said in a written announcement, “Sarah Russell is a proven champion of justice — fighting to vindicate legal rights, often for the most vulnerable and voiceless.”
Sen. Chris Murphy agreed that “Sarah Russell has dedicated her career to serving the people of Connecticut and fighting for justice.”
Russell, now a law professor at Quinnipiac Laws School, was the Liman Center’s director from 2007-2010. When at Yale, she co-taught the Liman Public Interest Workshop and joined clinics on criminal defense and the U.S. Supreme Court. At Quinnipiac, Russell has been the director of its clinic and works on juvenile sentencing and parole issues. Russell also serves as a governor-appointed member on the Connecticut Sentencing Commission, an independent state agency that reviews the state’s sentencing policies and can make recommendations about them.
Arthur Liman Professor of Law Judith Resnik, joined by Emeritus Clinical Professor Dennis Curtis ’66, and Harvard Law Professor and retired federal judge Nancy Gertner ’71 urged that Russell be nominated.
They explained: “Sarah is the ideal candidate for the federal bench. She is a seasoned litigator, steeped in first-hand knowledge of the federal and state courts of Connecticut. She is tireless, cares about details, understands the big picture, and is passionate about equal treatment. She has managed large and small-scale litigation amidst her work as a law professor, administrator, and a contributor to so many organizations and legal institutions.
“Sarah has ethical integrity, lawyerly brilliance, and a wide appreciation for the challenges faced by so many people who turn to the courts for help. Our respect and admiration are unbounded, as she is a mature, even-keeled, kind, and insightful person Sarah Russell is. She is the personification of the term ’the Honorable.’”
All three delight that those are the words with which she will now be addressed.
