Cleveland attorney Marisa Darden has been nominated by the White House to become the U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Ohio. If the nomination gets passed by the Senate, the move would make Darden the first Black woman in the history of Ohio to be prosecutor in either of the state’s two federal judicial districts.
Darden is currently a principal in the Cleveland office of the law firm Squire Patton Boggs, according to her LinkedIn page. She’s been there since 2019. Prior to joining Squire Patton Boggs, Darden was an assistant U.S. Attorney in Cleveland from 2014 to 2019, as well as as an assistant district attorney for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
U.S. Sens. Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown released a statement regarding Darden’s nomination, supporting the move.
“Ms. Darden is an outstanding nominee to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio,” Brown said, in a press release. “Throughout her legal career, serving the community has been her priority. As the first African American woman in this role, Ms. Darden would bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to lead the Northern District with excellence. I am proud to support her nomination.”
“I congratulate Ms. Darden on her nomination and look forward to working with her as her confirmation process moves forward,” Portman added in the same statement.
Darden would replace former U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman, who was nominated by President Donald Trump, if she clears the Senate. Herdman stepped down from the office Jan. 8.