Michael J. Newman


Michael Jay Newman is a United States Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of Ohio. His chambers are in Dayton, Ohio. He was appointed to this position in July 2011. He has been nominated as United States District Judge for the same court.

Early life and education

Newman grew up in Hightstown, New Jersey. While in high school, he attended the American Legion's Boys State and was elected a Senator. He received an undergraduate degree from New York University before graduating with honors from the Washington College of Law at American University. Newman has also attended the Advanced Mediation Program at Harvard Law School.

Professional career

After graduating from law school, Newman served as a law clerk for Judge Jack Sherman Jr. of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, and then for Judge Nathaniel R. Jones of the Sixth Circuit United States Court of Appeals.
Newman worked in private practice before joining the federal judiciary. He was a partner at the Cincinnati law firm Dinsmore & Shohl and practiced in the areas of labor & employment, business litigation, ERISA litigation, and appellate litigation. While at Dinsmore, Newman represented clients ranging from individuals to Fortune 500 companies. He chaired the firm's Labor & Employment Appellate Practice Group, created a pro bono appellate program through which firm attorneys argued civil rights and criminal appeals cases in the Sixth Circuit, and served on the firm's diversity committee. Newman was recognized as a Leading Lawyer, an Ohio Super Lawyer, and one of the Best Lawyers in America in Labor & Employment Law.

Federal judicial service

United States magistrate judge tenure

On July 25, 2011, Newman was appointed as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of Ohio, with chambers in Dayton.
From 2013-2014, Newman chaired the Federal Bar Association's national Magistrate Judge Task Force, which was responsible for the special issue of The Federal Lawyer devoted to Magistrate Judges and the FBA's White Paper on the history and role of Magistrate Judges. Newman wrote the introduction to the White Paper. Newman was recognized thereafter by the Federal Magistrate Judges Association for "valuable and dedicated service to all Magistrate Judges" in the United States.
After becoming a Federal Magistrate Judge, Newman led the effort to create the first Federal Veterans Treatment Court in the Southern District of Ohio, and has served as its presiding judge since the fall of 2015.

Nomination to district court

On February 26, 2020, President Trump announced his intent to nominate Newman to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. On March 3, 2020, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Trump nominated him to the seat vacated by Judge Michael Ryan Barrett, who took senior status on February 15, 2019. His nomination is currently pending before the Senate Judiciary Committee. A hearing on his nomination before the Senate Judiciary Committee was held on July 29, 2020.

Memberships

Newman has been a member of the Federalist Society since 2008.

Personal life

Newman and his wife, Rachel, have triplet daughters.