THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

                PRESIDENT CLINTON NOMINATES VANESSA RUIZ 
                TO DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURT OF APPEALS

President Clinton today announced the nomination of Vanessa Ruiz to serve on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. The President is authorized by statute to nominate D.C. Court of Appeals judges from a list of individuals recommended by the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission.

"I am confident that Vanessa Ruiz will serve with distinction," the President said. "Her skills and dedication will be strong assets to the District of Columbia and to this Court."

Ruiz, 44, is now serving as the D.C. Corporation Counsel. She joined the Office of the D.C. Corporation Counsel in 1991, as Deputy Corporation Counsel in charge of the Legal Counsel Division; in 1992, she served as Principal Deputy Corporation Counsel. Previously, Ruiz was a partner with the law firm of Pepper, Hamilton & Scheetz. Ruiz has also worked as senior international counsel for Sears World Trade, Inc. and as an associate with the law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson. Ruiz' community activities include service as Director of the Fair Employment Council of Greater Washington and as Co- Chair of the Special Committee on Race and Ethnic Bias of the D.C. Circuit Task Force on Gender, Race and Ethnic Bias. Ruiz has also taught European Community law as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center.

Ruiz earned her J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1975 and her B.A. degree from Wellesley College in 1973. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Ruiz resides in Washington, D.C. with her husband, David E. Birenbaum, and her two children, Nataliz and Alexia.

If confirmed, Ruiz would fill the vacancy on the D.C. Court of Appeals created by the resignation of Judge Judith W. Rogers who now serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

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