Judge John Z. Lee has been confirmed as Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit, which is based in Chicago.
According to Bloomberg Law, Lee was confirmed in a 50-44 vote. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced the confirmation in a tweet. Lee will be the first Asian American to sit on the Seventh Circuit.
Lee earned his law degree at Harvard Law School in 1992. He served as a trial attorney in the Environmental and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from 1992 to 1994. He has also worked at notable law firms in Chicago. Since 2012, he has served as a U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) praised Lee’s confirmation in a press release.
“Judge Lee is an embodiment of the American dream. Born to Korean parents and immigrating to Chicago at the age of four, he has dedicated his career to public service and the evenhanded administration of justice,” Durbin said.
“When he was confirmed by voice vote to the Northern District of Illinois, Judge Lee became the first Korean American to serve as an Article III judge in Illinois. Today, he makes history again as the first Asian American judge to serve on the Seventh Circuit.”
Lena Zwarensteyn, senior director of the fair courts program at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, also praised the confirmation in a statement.
“We are excited that Judge Lee will soon be serving on the Seventh Circuit, as he already possesses great experience as a fair-minded jurist who is committed to protecting the rights of all people,” Zwarensteyn said in a press release. “Today marks a historic milestone, as Judge Lee becomes the first Asian American judge to serve on the Seventh Circuit. This confirmation is an important step towards ensuring that our federal courts reflect varied perspectives and represent the diversity of our nation.”
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