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Letter

Confirm Judge Todd Edelman to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia

As a public defender, labor lawyer and judge, he has been dedicated to the principles of equal justice and opportunity under the law.
Submitted on: January 31, 2023 Updated on: March 24, 2023

U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator: 

On behalf of our 3 million members and the 50 million students they serve, we urge you to VOTE YES on Judge Todd Edelman’s nomination to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Votes on this issue may be included in NEA’s Report Card for the 118th Congress. 

Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Judge Edelman received his bachelor’s degree from Yale College and his law degree from the New York University School of Law, where he was selected as a Root-Tilden Scholar for his academic achievement and commitment to public service. 

After law school, Judge Edelman clerked for Judge William Bryant on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. As a trial attorney at the Public Defender Service (PDS) for the District of Columbia and a clinical professor at Georgetown Law’s Criminal Justice Clinic, he represented hundreds of indigent men and women facing criminal charges of all kinds.

After eight years at PDS, Judge Edelman became of counsel to Bredhoff & Kaiser, a leading labor-side law firm. In this capacity, he represented scores of working people and their representatives during arbitrations and took part in complex litigation in federal and state courts nationwide. 

Since 2010, he has been a judge on the District of Columbia Superior Court, where he leads efforts to improve the fairness and accessibility of the high-volume civil courts that handle the landlord and tenant, debt collection, and mortgage foreclosure cases so important to low and middle-income citizens. He also teaches at Georgetown and Harvard law schools. 

Throughout his career as a public defender, labor lawyer and judge, Judge Edelman has demonstrated dedication to the principles of equal justice and opportunity under the law, a strong work ethic, intellectual rigor, and concern for the access of low-income and working families to our courts.  The depth and breadth of his experience make him an unusually well qualified candidate. 

We urge you to VOTE YES on Judge Edelman’s nomination to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. 

Sincerely, 
 
Marc Egan
Director of Government Relations
National Education Association 
 

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.