Two Men Nominated for PA District Court Judge

Today President Obama nominated two Pennsylvanians to the Pennsylvania District Court.  Here are the details:

Gerald Austin McHugh, Jr.:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of PennsylvaniaGerald Austin McHugh, Jr. is a partner at the Philadelphia law firm of Raynes McCarty, where he handles complex civil litigation involving tort, insurance, and civil rights claims.  Prior to joining Raynes McCarty in 2004, McHugh was a shareholder for 23 years with the civil litigation law firm of Litvin, Blumberg, Matusow, and Young.  From 1979 to 1981, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Alfred L. Luongo of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and, in 1979, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Edmund B. Spaeth of the Pennsylvania Superior Court.  McHugh received his J.D. cum laude in 1979 from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and his A.B. summa cum laude in 1976 from St. Joseph’s University.  

Judge Edward G. Smith:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of PennsylvaniaJudge Edward G. Smith has served on the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas in Northampton County since 2002, handling both civil and criminal matters.  He is also a 27-year veteran of the United States Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps, holding the rank of Captain, and currently serves as Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve Naval Justice School.  Judge Smith previously served tours as both a military trial judge and military appellate judge and has earned the Bronze Star for service during combat operations in Iraq.  From 1990 until his election to the bench, Judge Smith was a partner in the law firm of DeRaymond & Smith in Easton, Pennsylvania.  He began his legal career serving as an Assistant Force Judge Advocate in Norfolk, Virginia and then served as a Senior Trial Defense Counsel for two years in Philadelphia, representing Navy and Marine Corps personnel in various matters.  He received his J.D. cum laude in 1986 from the Dickinson School of Law and his B.A. in 1983 from Franklin and Marshall College.