Nicholas Lee wrote an in-depth profile of Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. in the Federal Lawyer, the official publication of the Federal Bar Association. Nicholas' profile spanned the judge's life and career, from his days as a standout basketball player at Clemson University to stops as an assistant U.S. attorney, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, and a federal district court judge. 

"As a prosecutor, Judge Conrad was tasked with complex and nuanced investigations that had him investigating terrorist organizations and illicit campaign donations during presidential elections," Nicholas wrote. "In 2000, he accomplished something few have: He deposed the then-sitting president and vice president of the United States in the same week."

"Along the way, the judge has earned the respect of his peers and the wider legal community," Nicholas continued. "In his chambers, the judge also takes seriously his role of hiring and equipping law clerks and treating them like members of his own family."

Nicholas, who completed a federal clerkship with Conrad in the Western District of North Carolina in 2016, also wrote about courtroom innovations the judge has pioneered as well as the judge's current role as the director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOC). 

"In this new role, Judge Conrad is the chief administrative officer of the U.S. federal courts, where he regularly deals with various administrative staff in Washington, D.C., as well as judges and clerks across the country," Nicholas wrote. "The AOC has more than 1,000 employees and provides administrative support to 2,400 judicial officers and over 28,000 court and federal defender employees. The role of director also entails Judge Conrad serving as a liaison between the judicial branch and Congress, meaning he works with congressional committees to — among other things — secure the judiciary’s annual appropriation and execute the judiciary’s budget."

To read the full article, click here: From the Court to the Courtroom: How Judge Conrad Carries Lessons From Basketball to the Legal Profession

The Federal Lawyer is the official publication of the Federal Bar Association and is written for lawyers who practice in federal courts or have an interest in federal law as well as judges who sit on the federal bench. The full magazine issue is a benefit of FBA membership. You can sign up here.