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Biden quest for judicial diversity goes beyond race, gender

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Posted at 2:00 AM, Feb 10, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-10 05:00:58-05

President Joe Biden has already made history by nominating more public defenders, civil rights attorneys and nonprofit lawyers to the federal bench during his first year in office than past presidents.

He's increasing not just the racial and gender diversity of the federal judiciary but the range of its professional expertise as well.

It's possible that theme will continue as he prepares to nominate the first Black woman to the Supreme Court.

Some of the women on Biden’s list of potential nominees have deep public defense or civil rights backgrounds.

While three of the current justices have experience as prosecutors, none worked as a criminal defense attorney.