AFJ Letter of Support for Brendan Abell Hurson

The Honorable Richard Durbin 
Chairman 
Senate Judiciary Committee 

Dear Chairman Durbin: 

On behalf of the Alliance for Justice (AFJ), a national association representing more than 150 public interest and civil rights organizations, I write to support the confirmation of Judge Brendan Hurson to the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. 

Judge Hurson has deep ties to the state of Maryland. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1977, he earned his J.D. with honors from The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law in 2005. After law school, he clerked for the Honorable Margaret B. Seymour of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. At the conclusion of his clerkship, he joined Schulman, Hershfield, and Gilden, PA, in Baltimore, Maryland, as an associate. There, he handled a variety of complex civil and criminal litigation matters. 

Judge Hurson has committed his career to public service, having worked in the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Baltimore for more than a decade. There, he defended individuals charged with federal felony and misdemeanor offenses, beginning at their initial appearance and continuing through their sentencing. His experience as a public defender gave him unique insights into the importance of equal justice for all, experience that will be invaluable on the federal bench. Further, the Maryland legal community has long recognized his dedication and expertise as a public defender. He was awarded the Honorable Mention, Public Service Law Network, National Pro Bono Publico Award, and the Fred Warren Bennett Defender Award, Office of the Federal Public Defender, District of Maryland. 

Given his exemplary qualifications, Judge Hurson was appointed a magistrate judge for the U.S. District of Maryland in 2022. Additionally, Judge Hurson serves on two committees of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland: one that advises the court on issues related to the Criminal Justice Act panel and a second that advises the court on issues related to probation and pretrial services. Judge Hurson actively seeks to foster excellence in the next generation of the legal community, teaching Criminal Procedure and Written and Oral Advocacy at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law. 

Judge Hurson has a demonstrated commitment both to the District of Maryland and to justice. His experience as a public defender will help diversify the federal bench, bringing a much-needed perspective to the courtroom. He is well suited to the federal bench and would make an exceptional addition to the District of Maryland. I urge you to support his confirmation. 

Sincerely,
Rakim Brooks
President