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Judge Kathleen McDonald O’Malley Confirmed for Federal Circuit Vacancy

The Congress is slowly filling the three vacancies on the Federal Circuit.  On Wednesday, the Senate confirmed Kathleen McDonald O’Malley to fill one of the vacancies.  Two more to go.

Judge O’Malley is presently a district court judge, and will be the only judge on the Federal Circuit with district court experience.

However, it is rather disappointing that she does not have a technical background.  Her undergraduate major was in history and economics.

On the plus side, Judge O’Malley has a reputation for fairness and has taught a course in patent litigation. Also, she is a faculty member at the Intellectual Property Seminar for Federal Judges co-sponsored by the Federal Judicial Center and the Berkeley Center for Law and Technology.