Brian C. Lea
Brian Charles Lea | |
|---|---|
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee | |
Designate | |
| Assuming office TBD | |
| Appointed by | Donald Trump |
| Succeeding | John T. Fowlkes Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | |
| Education | Union University (BA) University of Georgia (JD) |
Brian Charles Lea is an American lawyer and currently serves as a Deputy Associate Attorney General for the United States Department of Justice. He has been announced as a nominee to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.
Early life and Education
Lea received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Union University in 2006. He received a Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law in 2009, graduating Order of the Coif.[2] He served as a law clerk for Judge Edward Earl Carnes of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit from 2009 to 2010 and for Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court of the United States from 2011 to 2012.[3]
Career
After clerking, Lea was a partner at Jones Day at their Atlanta office, where he focused on product liability law, Constitutional law, and appeals.[4] Lea currently serves as a Deputy Associate Attorney General for the United States Department of Justice.[3]
Nomination to district court
On November 14, 2025, President Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Lea to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee vacated by Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr.[3] On December 17, 2025, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on his nomination.[5] On January 15, 2026 the Committee advanced his nomination on a 12-10 vote.
References
- ^ "Hagerty Introduces Brian Lea, Trump's Nominee to be District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee".
- ^ "Brian Lea Attorney in Atlanta, Jones Day – LawTally".
- ^ a b c "Truth Social". Truth Social.
- ^ "Brian Lea | Speakers | CCGC USA". www.cgccusa.org.
- ^ "Nominations | United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary". www.judiciary.senate.gov.