Sandra Lea Lynch
Encyclopedia
Sandra Lea Lynch is the chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
. She is the first woman to have served on that Court, and on June 16, 2008, became its first female chief judge.
nominated Lynch to the First Circuit on January 11, 1995, to fill the seat vacated when Stephen Breyer
was elevated to the Supreme Court of the United States
. She was confirmed by the Senate
on March 17, 1995, and received her commission on the same day.
from Wellesley College in 1968, and her law degree
from the Boston University School of Law
in 1971.
She graduated from Lake Highlands High School, Richardson ISD, Dallas, Texas, in 1964, as a member of the first graduating class.
for Judge Raymond J. Pettine of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
, becoming the first female law clerk to serve in that court. She then went on to serve as an assistant state attorney general for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1973-74 and general counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Education from 1974-1978.
In 1978, Lynch entered private practice, joining the law firm of Foley, Hoag, & Eliot, becoming a partner in 1982. During her tenure at Foley Hoag, Lynch became the first woman to head the firm's litigation practice, and was among the team of lawyers representing defendant W.R. Grace & Co.
in the Woburn, Massachusetts
toxic tort trial (the subject of Jonathan Harr
's 1995 book A Civil Action
.) Lynch remained in private practice until being appointed to the First Circuit.
Lynch also served as an instructor at the Boston University Law School from 1973-74 and as special counsel to the Judicial Conduct Commission of Massachusetts from 1990-1992.
From 1992-1993, she served as President of the Boston Bar Association
.
United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Maine* District of Massachusetts...
. She is the first woman to have served on that Court, and on June 16, 2008, became its first female chief judge.
Federal Judicial Service
President Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
nominated Lynch to the First Circuit on January 11, 1995, to fill the seat vacated when Stephen Breyer
Stephen Breyer
Stephen Gerald Breyer is an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1994, and known for his pragmatic approach to constitutional law, Breyer is generally associated with the more liberal side of the Court....
was elevated to the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
. She was confirmed by the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on March 17, 1995, and received her commission on the same day.
Education
Lynch received an A.B.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Wellesley College in 1968, and her law degree
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the Boston University School of Law
Boston University School of Law
Boston University School of Law is the law school affiliated with Boston University, and is ranked #22 among American law schools by US News and World Report magazine. It is the second-oldest law school in Massachusetts and one of the first law schools in the country to admit students regardless...
in 1971.
She graduated from Lake Highlands High School, Richardson ISD, Dallas, Texas, in 1964, as a member of the first graduating class.
Professional career
From 1971-73, Lynch served as a law clerkLaw clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
for Judge Raymond J. Pettine of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
The United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Rhode Island. The District Court was created in 1790 when Rhode Island ratified the Constitution...
, becoming the first female law clerk to serve in that court. She then went on to serve as an assistant state attorney general for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1973-74 and general counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Education from 1974-1978.
In 1978, Lynch entered private practice, joining the law firm of Foley, Hoag, & Eliot, becoming a partner in 1982. During her tenure at Foley Hoag, Lynch became the first woman to head the firm's litigation practice, and was among the team of lawyers representing defendant W.R. Grace & Co.
W. R. Grace and Company
W. R. Grace and Company is a Columbia, Maryland, United States based chemical conglomerate.The company has two main divisions, Davison Chemicals and Performance Chemicals. The Davison unit makes chemical catalysts, refining catalysts, and silica-based products that let other companies make...
in the Woburn, Massachusetts
Woburn, Massachusetts
Woburn is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 38,120 at the 2010 census. Woburn is located north of Boston, Massachusetts, and just south of the intersection of I-93 and I-95.- History :...
toxic tort trial (the subject of Jonathan Harr
Jonathan Harr
Jonathan Harr is an American writer, best known for A Civil Action.Harr was born in Beloit, Wisconsin. He lives and works in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he has taught nonfiction writing at Smith College. He is a former staff writer at New England Monthly and has written for The New Yorker...
's 1995 book A Civil Action
A Civil Action
A Civil Action is a 1998 American drama film starring John Travolta and Robert Duvall, based on the book of the same name by Jonathan Harr...
.) Lynch remained in private practice until being appointed to the First Circuit.
Lynch also served as an instructor at the Boston University Law School from 1973-74 and as special counsel to the Judicial Conduct Commission of Massachusetts from 1990-1992.
From 1992-1993, she served as President of the Boston Bar Association
Boston Bar Association
The Boston Bar Association, which also goes by the acronym BBA, is a volunteer non-governmental organization in Boston, Massachusetts, United States...
.