U.S. Assistant Attorney Ryan Buchanan in the Northern District of Georgia faces a major promotion.
Buchanan was among a list of candidates that President Joe Biden released late Friday for the opening of US attorneys and US marshals. Should this be confirmed by the US Senate, Buchanan would fill the position created by the resignation of Byung Jin “BJay” Pak, who is now a litigator with Alston & Bird in Atlanta. Pak went on to demand that the 2020 election results be overturned following criticism from then-President Donald Trump for lack of action. Kurt Erskine has served as US Assistant Attorney ever since.
Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, both D-Georgia, issued a joint statement welcoming the election – as did their Federal Nomination Advisory Commission for reviewing applicants for open judicial, U.S. legal, and U.S. Marshal Post in Georgia. The 2021 Commission is composed of a diverse group of lawyers, judges, civil rights activists and advocates of criminal law reform. The commission is chaired by Smith, Gambrell & Russell partner and former chairman of the Georgia Supreme Court Leah Ward Sears, the country’s first African American woman.
“I am pleased that President Biden has accepted mine and Sen. Rev. Warnock’s recommendation for this important position in federal law enforcement. I expect and am confident that Mr. Buchanan will carry out his duties impartially and professionally, guided by a commitment to truth, integrity and justice. I look forward to meeting him again before the confirmation process and to see him soon before the Senate Judiciary Committee, ”Ossoff said.
“Ryan Buchanan’s extensive experience as a federal attorney makes him an excellent candidate for this important role. Mr. Buchanan has worked in everything from organized crime to foreign terrorist organizations in his successful career, and few people in our state can match his legal expertise in ensuring the justice and safety of Americans, “said Warnock. “I was happy to join Senator Ossoff in recommending Mr. Buchanan for this pivotal position, and President Biden has made an excellent choice. I look forward to assisting in Mr. Buchanan’s verification process. “
Buchanan has served as the U.S. Assistant Attorney in the Northern District of Georgia since 2013. He became Deputy Head of Violent Crime and National Security in 2018 and Coordinator of the National Security and Counter-Terrorism Council in 2017. He was previously an assistant US attorney for the Northern District of Alabama from 2010 to 2013.
From 2006 to 2010, Buchanan was an Associate at McGuireWoods where he focused on labor disputes. He was a trainee lawyer for Judge Inge Johnson at the US District Court for the Northern District of Alabama from 2005 to 2006. He received his JD from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2005 and his BS from Samford University in 2001.
