The Obama Nominations

President Obama Nominates Three for District Court Bench

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama nominated Richard G. Andrews, Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo and Jeffrey J. Helmick to serve on the United States District Court bench.

President Obama said, “Throughout their long and impressive legal careers, Richard G. Andrews, Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo and Jeffrey J. Helmick have distinguished themselves as some of our nation’s best and brightest. I am honored to nominate them for the District Court Bench, and am confident they will approach the job with the utmost integrity and impartiality.”

Richard G. Andrews: Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of Delaware

Richard G. Andrews is the State Prosecutor for Delaware, a position he has held since 2007. As the State Prosecutor, Andrews oversees the Criminal Division of the Delaware Department of Justice. From 1983 to 2006, Andrews worked for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware as an Assistant United States Attorney. During his 23-year tenure in that office, Andrews served as Chief of the Criminal Division, First Assistant United States Attorney, and acting United States Attorney. From 1981 to 1982, Andrews clerked for the Honorable Collins J. Seitz of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Andrews received his J.D. in 1981 from University of California at Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law and his B.A. in 1977 from Haverford College.

Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo: Nominee for the United States District Court for the Southern District of California

Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo is a United States Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of California, based in San Diego, a position in which she has served since 2005. Prior to joining the bench, she spent her entire legal career at the law firm now known as DLA Piper US, LLP, beginning as a litigation associate in 1988 (when the firm was known as Gray Cary Ames & Frye), and becoming a partner in 1996. At the law firm, her practice focused on intellectual property litigation and she served as national co-chair of the firm’s patent litigation practice. Judge Bencivengo received her J.D. magna cum laude in 1988 from University of Michigan Law School and both her M.A. in 1981 and her B.A. in 1980 from Rutgers University.

Jeffrey J. Helmick: Nominee for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio

Jeffrey J. Helmick is a principal in the law firm of Gamso, Helmick & Hoolahan, in Toledo, Ohio, where he concentrates in federal criminal defense litigation. Prior to co-founding his current firm in 1998, Helmick was a principal in the law firm of Helmick, Jacobs & Solomon from 1996 to 1998 and a principal in the law firm of Kaplan, Richardson, Rost & Helmick from 1989 to 1995. From 1988 to 1989, he worked as an associate at Marshall & Melhorn, LLC. Helmick received his J.D. in 1988 from Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and his B.A. in 1983 from the University of Michigan.