WASHINGTON— U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) released the following statements after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved of the nomination of Drew Tipton to fill a judicial vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Corpus Christi, the last federal judicial vacancy to be filled in Texas:
“Drew has demonstrated a deep understanding of the law and lifelong commitment to the Southern District of Texas, and he will make a fine judge,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to confirm him to this post swiftly.”
“I am confident Drew’s experiences as a trial advocate and his deep history of service in the Southern District will make him an excellent judge,” Sen. Cruz said. “I look forward to his speedy confirmation in the Senate as the lone remaining federal judicial vacancy in Texas.”
The Senators recommended this nominee to President Trump following an extensive review and interview process of the candidate pool by the bipartisan Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee (FJEC). Sen. Cornyn and Sen. Cruz established the FJEC, a bipartisan panel of leading attorneys in Texas, to help identify the most qualified candidates to fill judicial vacancies. The panel reviewed applications, interviewed candidates, and made recommendations to the Senators, who interviewed individuals before making their recommendations to the President.
Drew Tipton is a partner at Baker Hostetler, LLP in Houston, Texas, where his practice focuses on complex labor and employment and trade secret litigation. Before joining Baker Hostetler in 1999, Mr. Tipton was in private practice with Marek, Griffin, & Knaupp, LLP and Littler Mendelson, PC. Mr. Tipton also served 5 years in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Upon graduation from law school, Mr. Tipton served as a law clerk to Judge John D. Rainey of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Mr. Tipton earned his B.A. from Texas A&M University and his J.D. from South Texas College of Law Houston.