President Donald Trump has nominated Whitney Hermandorfer, J.D. ’15, to serve as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Trump announced the selection earlier this month, marking his first judicial nomination of his second term. In his statement, the president lauded Hermandorfer as “a fighter who will inspire confidence in our legal system.”
Hermandorfer currently serves as director of the strategic litigation unit in the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General, where she plays a key role in leading constitutional, statutory and administrative-law challenges to federal agency actions. She also represents the state in complex litigation at both the trial and appellate levels.
“Whitney Hermandorfer's unwavering commitment to the rule of law, her exacting analytical rigor and her unshakeable optimism will serve our country well,” Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a statement.
Prior to her current role, Hermandorfer garnered significant experience through prestigious clerkships with two Supreme Court Justices: Samuel Alito and Amy Coney Barrett. She also served as a clerk for then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
During her time at GW, Hermandorfer served as the editor-in-chief of The George Washington Law Review and received the John Bell Larner Award for obtaining the highest cumulative grade point average in the graduating J.D. class.
Hermandorfer will require Senate confirmation before assuming her role on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.