The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Joe Biden’s nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Ana C. Reyes, in a 51-47 vote on Wednesday. This marks a historic moment as Reyes becomes the first Latina and openly LGBTQ+ person to serve as a judge in the U.S. District Court for D.C. This decision comes nine months after Biden submitted her nomination, which was resubmitted in January after expiring at the end of the last Congress.
Reyes, a partner at the renowned law firm, Williams and Connolly, has worked on various legal issues in foreign immunity, international contract disputes, and patent enforcement. Apart from her professional work, Reyes has also dedicated over a decade to pro bono representations of asylum seekers and refugee organizations. She has worked on numerous appellate matters for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and impact litigation for Human Rights First.
Reyes’ nomination was recommended by D.C.’s congressional representative, Eleanor Holmes Norton, who praised Reyes’ “intelligence, temperament, and integrity” as a valuable addition to the federal bench, bringing much-needed diversity to the court. Reyes was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. She received her bachelor’s degree from Transylvania University in 1996, her law degree from Harvard Law School in 2000, and a master’s degree in International Public Policy with distinction from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.
Reyes’ confirmation is a significant achievement for the Latino and LGBTQ+ communities in the United States, who have been underrepresented in the judicial system. Her appointment to the U.S. District Court for D.C. reflects the Biden administration’s commitment to promoting diversity in the judiciary and promoting representation for underrepresented communities in the legal system. Reyes will undoubtedly be a valuable addition to the court and will continue to make history as the first Latina and openly LGBTQ+ person to serve as a judge in the U.S. District Court for D.C.