Andrew L. Carter, Jr.
The Honorable Andrew L. Carter, Jr., US District Judge for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), was the speaker at the 34th Commencement Ceremonies of Pace Law School on May 20, 2012. Nominated by President Barack Obama and appointed to the SDNY in December 2011, Judge Carter previously served as United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of New York.
Early in his career, Judge Carter worked 13 years as a public defender, representing those who could not afford legal counsel. He was with the Federal Defenders of New York from 2005-2009, first as a staff attorney and the last three years as a supervising attorney. From 1996 to 2005, he was with the Legal Aid Society of New York, serving in the criminal defense division and then in the federal defenders division.
All parties deserve equal treatment regardless of economic status or the caption under their names. Judges must be impartial, said Judge Carter in his written response to questions posed by United States Senators at the time of his nomination.
Prior to his work as a public defender, Judge Carter fulfilled a two-year fellowship with the Ford Foundation where he conducted legal research and supported the Foundations grant making efforts. Hailing from Albany, Georgia, he graduated from the University of Texas in 1991 and earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1994. While a law student, Carter co-founded the BELL Foundation, an organization that provides educational summer and after-school activities for students from low-income communities.