James A. Lewis '66 Nominated for U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois

James A. Lewis '66 is nominated to be the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois. He would replace Rodger A. Heaton, who headed the office from 2006 until Aug. 31, 2009. The district’s current acting U.S. Attorney is Jeffrey B. Lang.

Lewis’ vitals:

Born in New York, N.Y., in 1940.
Earned Master of Laws degree from Duke University School of Law in 1976.
Has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Springfield, Ill., since 1983. Also has served as chief of that office’s Civil Division.
Worked as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois at Springfield in 1986, 1988 and 1990. Also was an adjunct professor at American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C., in 1979.
Was a trial attorney in the torts branch of the Civil Division at Justice Department headquarters in Washington, D.C., from 1977 to 1983.
Worked as an assistant professor and the director of clinical education at North Carolina Central University Law of School in Durham, N.C., from 1976 to 1977.
Was the John S. Bradway Fellow and director of the Clinical Program for Older Americans at Duke University School of Law from 1974 to 1976.
Worked as a trial attorney at Durham Legal Aid in Durham, N.C., in 1974.
Was a founding attorney of the Mississippi Prison Project in Oxford, Miss., from 1972 to 1973.
Served as a the executive director of North Mississippi Rural Legal Services in Oxford, Miss., from 1970 to 1971.
Worked as a staff attorney for the Lawyers Constitutional Defense Committee in Jackson, Miss., from 1966 to 1970.
Was an adjunct professor at Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, Miss., in 1969.
Was a teacher at Staten Island Academy in Staten Island, N.Y., from 1962 to 1963.
Has tried 80 to 100 cases to verdict, mostly as sole counsel with some as chief counsel.