President Biden Announces First U.S. Marshal Nominees and Eight New Nominees to Serve as U.S. Attorneys

President Biden is announcing his first U.S. Marshal nominees, as well as eight new nominees to serve as U.S. Attorneys across the country – officials who will be indispensable to upholding the rule of law.

These individuals, many of whom would make history if confirmed, were chosen for their devotion to enforcing the law, their professionalism, their experience and credentials in their fields, their dedication to pursuing equal justice for all, and their commitment to the independence of the Department of Justice.

These are the first two nominees the President has chosen to serve as U.S. Marshals, and he has now announced 37 nominees to serve as U.S. Attorneys.

U.S. Marshal Biographies

Eddie Frizell, U.S. Marshal nominee for the District of Minnesota

Eddie Frizell has served as the Chief of Police for the Metro Transit Police Department in Minneapolis and St. Paul since 2019. From 1993 to 2019, Mr. Frizell worked for the Minneapolis Police Department. He held numerous leadership positions while at the department, including Deputy Chief of Patrol from 2012 to 2014, Lieutenant Supervisor for the Domestic Assault Unit from 2014 to 2017, and First Precinct Inspector from 2017 to 2019.

Mr. Frizell received his M.A. from the United States Army War College in 2015, his M.S. in Leadership from Augsburg College in Minneapolis in 2005, and his B.S. from the University of Iowa in 1987.

LaDon Reynolds, U.S. Marshal nominee for the Northern District of Illinois

LaDon Reynolds has served as the Chief of Police and the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the Oak Park Police Department in Illinois since 2019, and has served in the Oak Park Police Department since 1994. Mr. Reynolds has held numerous leadership positions while at the department, including Detective Commander from 2010 to 2017, Deputy Police Chief from 2017 to 2018, and Acting Chief of Police from 2018 to 2019.

Mr. Reynolds received his M.S. in 2014 and B.S. in 1994, both from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

U.S. Attorney Biographies

Brandon B. Brown, U.S. Attorney nominee for the Western District of Louisiana

Brandon B. Brown is an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana, where he has served since 2012. From March 2018 to September 2018, Mr. Brown was an associate at the law firm Hammonds, Sills, Adkins & Guice, LLP where he focused on civil litigation, risk management, and government affairs. Mr. Brown served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Ouachita Parish District Attorney’s Office in Monroe, Louisiana from 2007 to 2012.

Mr. Brown received his J.D. from Southern University Law Center in 2007, his M.B.A. from Louisiana Tech University in 2004, and his B.S. from Louisiana Tech University in 2002.

Ryan K. Buchanan, U.S. Attorney nominee for the Northern District of Georgia

Ryan K. Buchanan is an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, where he has served since 2013. Mr. Buchanan has served as the Deputy Chief of the Violent Crime and National Security Section since 2018 and as National Security and Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council Coordinator since 2017. Mr. Buchanan previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama from 2010 to 2013. From 2006 to 2010, Mr. Buchanan was an associate at the law firm McGuireWoods LLP, in Charlotte and Atlanta, where he focused on labor and employment litigation. Mr. Buchanan served as a law clerk for Judge Inge P. Johnson on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama from 2005 to 2006.

Mr. Buchanan received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2005 and his B.S. from Samford University in 2001.

Marisa T. Darden, U.S. Attorney nominee for the Northern District of Ohio

Marisa T. Darden is a principal at the Cleveland office of the law firm Squire Patton Boggs LLP, where she has practiced since 2019. Ms. Darden previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio from 2014 to 2019. From 2011 to 2014, she served as an Assistant District Attorney for the New York County District Attorney’s Office in Manhattan. From 2010 to 2011, Ms. Darden served as a law clerk for Judge Morrison C. England on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. Ms. Darden was an associate at the law firm Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP in New York from 2008 to 2010.

Ms. Darden received her J.D. from Duke University School of Law in 2008 and her B.A. from the University of Michigan in 2005.

Jason Frierson, U.S. Attorney nominee for the District of Nevada

Jason Frierson is currently serving as both the Speaker of the Nevada State Assembly and an Assistant Public Defender in the Clark County Public Defender’s Office in Nevada. Mr. Frierson has served the Nevada State Assembly since 2010 and has been at the Clark County Public Defender’s Office since 2019. From 2012 to 2014 and again from 2017 to 2019, he served as a Chief Deputy District Attorney in the Clark County District Attorney’s Office. Mr. Frierson was a partner at the law firm Surratt Law Practice in Las Vegas from 2014 to 2017. Mr. Frierson was a Deputy Public Defender for the Clark County Public Defender’s Office from 2005 to 2012, and a Deputy Attorney General in the Office of the Nevada Attorney General from 2003 to 2005. From 2002 to 2003, he was an associate at the law firm Harrison, Kemp & Jones, LLP in Las Vegas. Mr. Frierson served as a law clerk for Justice Myron E. Leavitt on the Supreme Court of Nevada from 2001 to 2002.

Mr. Frierson received his J.D. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law in 2001 and his B.S. from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1996.

Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., U.S. Attorney nominee for the Middle District of Louisiana

Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. is the Chief of Trials for the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Louisiana, where he has served since January 2021. From 2001 to 2021, Mr. Gathe served as an Assistant District Attorney in the 19th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Louisiana, where he served as section chief from 2009 to 2021. Since 2001, Mr. Gathe has also been working as a private attorney at his own law firm, the Law Offices of Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. & Associates. He currently serves as the Vice President of Membership for the National Black Prosecutors Association, and helped establish the first and only chapter in Louisiana. Mr. Gathe served as a law clerk for Judge James Best of the 18th Judicial District Court in Louisiana from 2000 to 2001.

Mr. Gathe received his J.D. from the Southern University Law Center in 2000 and his B.S. from Xavier University of Louisiana in 1996.

Dawn N. Ison, U.S. Attorney nominee for the Eastern District of Michigan

Dawn N. Ison is an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, where she has served since 2002. From 2010 to 2014, Ms. Ison served as the Chief of the Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit of the office. From 1990 to 2002, she was an attorney in private practice where she focused on criminal matters as well as a range of civil matters. Ms. Ison served as a Prehearing Attorney for the Michigan Court of Appeals from 1989 to 1990.

Ms. Ison received her J.D. from Wayne State University Law School in 1989 and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Spelman College in 1986.

Andrew M. Luger, U.S. Attorney nominee for the District of Minnesota

Andrew M. Luger has been a partner at the law firm Jones Day since 2017. From 2014 to 2017, Mr. Luger served as the United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota. He was a partner at the law firm Greene Espel in Minneapolis from 1996 to 2014. Mr. Luger served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota from 1992 to 1996, and as an Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York from 1989 to 1992. He was an associate at the law firm Stillman, Friedman and Shaw from 1987 to 1989 and at the law firm Townley and Updike from 1985 to 1987.

Mr. Luger received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center in 1985 and his B.A., summa cum laude, from Amherst College in 1981.

Mark A. Totten, U.S. Attorney nominee for the Western District of Michigan

Mark A. Totten has served as Chief Legal Counsel for Governor Gretchen Whitmer since 2019. From 2008 to 2018, Totten was a professor at Michigan State University College of Law. Mr. Totten served as a Special Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in the Office of the Genesee County Prosecuting Attorney from 2016 to 2017. He served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan from 2011 to 2013. From 2006 to 2007, Mr. Totten was an attorney on the appellate staff in the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice. Mr. Totten served as a law clerk for Judge Thomas Griffith of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia from 2007 to 2008.

Mr. Totten received his J.D. from Yale Law School and a Ph.D. in Ethics from Yale University in 2006 and his B.A. from Cedarville College in 1996.

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