Judge Derrick Kahala Watson was nominated by President Obama in November 2012 to serve as a United States District Judge for the District of Hawaii, the position to which he was confirmed by the United States Senate in April 2013.  Prior to taking the bench, Judge Watson was an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Hawaii, serving as Chief of the Civil Division beginning in January 2009. Previously, he worked at the San Francisco law firm of Farella Braun + Martel LLP, where his practice focused on product liability, toxic tort, and environmental cost recovery litigation.  He joined the firm in December 2000 and was named partner in January 2003.  Judge Watson was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of California from 1995 to 2000, including serving as Deputy Chief of the Civil Division from 1999 to 2000.  He began his legal career at the law firm of Landels, Ripley & Diamond in San Francisco, where he was an associate from 1991 to 1995.  Judge Watson received his J.D. in 1991 from Harvard Law School, his A.B. in 1988 from Harvard College, and is a 1984 graduate of The Kamehameha Schools.

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