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Press Release

NEA applauds historic judicial nomination of Jennifer Sung

Labor lawyer and former union organizer would serve on U.S. Court of Appeals
A gavel rests on a desk
Published: June 30, 2021

WASHINGTON — The White House today announced the nomination of Jennifer Sung to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Sung has been a member of the Oregon Employment Relations Board since her appointment in 2017. While in private practice, the Yale Law School graduate was a litigator specializing in labor, employment, and constitutional law, and she represented labor organizations and employees in arbitrations, administrative proceedings, and civil litigation in state and federal courts. She was a Skadden fellow, and a former law clerk to the distinguished legal pioneer, Judge Betty Binns Fletcher. Before law school, Sung was a union organizer with the Service Employees International Union.

The National Education Association applauded Sung’s nomination and issued the following statement that can be attributed to NEA President Becky Pringle:

“No matter who we are or where we are from, we all deserve equal access to justice. But for far too long, some federal courts have been hostile to workers who have experienced racial, gender, age, and disability discrimination; were forced to work in unsafe working conditions; had wages stolen from them by their employers; or asserted their rights to form and join labor unions. Since taking office, President Joe Biden has championed people over powerful interests and pledged to nominate jurists who are from diverse backgrounds and understand the experiences of underrepresented people. Today, President Biden has begun to fulfill that pledge with the nomination of Jennifer Sung to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

“Jennifer Sung is an inspired choice. She has a brilliant legal mind and has spent her career advocating for workers, immigrants, those with disabilities, among others, and has delivered impartial justice as a member of the Oregon Employment Relations Board. The National Education Association strongly supports her nomination and urges a swift confirmation in the Senate.”

Follow on twitter at @NEAmedia and @BeckyPringle

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The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.

National Education Association

Great public schools for every student

The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.