Blumenthal & Murphy Applaud Nomination of Sarah Russell to Serve on the U.S. District Court

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) applauded President Biden’s nomination of Sarah Russell to fill a vacancy on the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut.

“Sarah Russell has been a relentless champion of justice—making legal rights real for countless people needing an advocate, and giving voice to the voiceless and most vulnerable,” said Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “In both the courtroom and classroom, she has led by example. Throughout her stellar career—as a teacher, public defender, and clinic head—upholding the rule of law has been her life’s work. She has earned esteem from opposing litigants as well as allies, including prosecutors, judges and defense attorneys. On the Judiciary Committee, I’ll push for her swift confirmation.”

“I am glad to see President Biden nominate Sarah Russell to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. Sarah is not only an experienced litigator, but also an expert in her field as a leading researcher on sentencing policy and juvenile justice. I am confident the District of Connecticut will be well served by her deep commitment to fair and equal justice, and I look forward to her confirmation vote,” said Murphy.

Sarah Russell has served as a Professor at the Quinnipiac University School of Law since 2011 and as Director of the school’s Legal Clinic since 2019. Prior to her time at Quinnipiac, Russell was a Lecturer at Yale Law School and the Director of the Arthur Liman Public Interest Program. Russell also served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender from 2005 to 2007 and as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Chester J. Straub of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Honorable Michael B. Mukasey of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Russell is a widely respected member of Connecticut’s legal community, having been appointed by state and federal judges to serve on the Connecticut Sentencing Commission, the Connecticut Committee on Judicial Ethics, and the Federal Grievance Committee. Russell is also an active member of her community, serving on the board of the Hamden Juvenile Review and Connecticut Children’s Museum. Russell received both her undergraduate and law degrees from Yale University.

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