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Law360 (December 16, 2020, 6:20 PM EST) -- Justin Herdman, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio and former Jones Day white collar partner, on Wednesday announced that he will step down from his position in January.
Herdman, formerly a partner in the investigations and white collar defense practice group at Jones Day out of Cleveland, was one of President Donald Trump's first nominees for a U.S. attorney slot after holdovers from the Obama administration were asked to resign in March 2017.
In a statement, Herdman said he would resign Jan. 8 and be replaced by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget Brennan, who will take over in an acting capacity to lead the office that serves Ohio's northern 40 counties, including the cities of Cleveland, Toledo, Akron and Youngstown.
"To serve as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio for these past three years has been a singular honor," Herdman said. "There are not many jobs where you can work every day to ensure the safety and well-being of millions of your neighbors and friends."
Herdman previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Cleveland, where he prosecuted terrorism-related cases as well as trade secret theft and money laundering cases. He also worked as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan, an associate at Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease LLP and he currently serves as a judge advocate in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
He is also vice chair of the U.S. attorney general's advisory committee of U.S. attorneys, which comprises 15 U.S. attorneys tasked with recommending improvements in management, operations and functions of federal prosecutors' offices.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr, who himself is stepping down from his position before Trump leaves office, praised Herdman's tenure.
"Justin is a consummate and principled public servant who has also served as an invaluable member of the Attorney General's Advisory Council. His steadfast commitment to building safer communities and bringing justice to the citizens of Northern Ohio and our nation is unparalleled," Barr said.
Both of Ohio's U.S. senators, Republican Rob Portman and Democrat Sherrod Brown, backed Herdman's nomination to the post.
In May, Trump nominated Herdman to be the next top federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia. However, he never assumed the role.
Herdman's planned departure follows the recent announcements of resignations by Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys John Bash of the Western District of Texas and Craig Carpenito of New Jersey.
--Editing by Michael Watanabe.
For a reprint of this article, please contact reprints@law360.com.
