I

Michael Brown

In an era of deep partisan divides, the U.S. Senate voted 92-0 Thursday to confirm Alston & Bird partner Michael Brown as a U.S. District Judge in the Northern District of Georgia.

Brown is a former assistant U.S. attorney in both Georgia and Florida. He co-leads the government and internal investigations team at Alston & Bird.

“Michael Brown is a great lawyer, federal prosecutor and outstanding citizen of our state whose experience will serve him well on the federal bench,” Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Georgia, said in a news release Thursday, applauding Brown's confirmation. “I gave him my highest recommendation at his confirmation hearing, and I applaud him and the Senate on his confirmation.”

At that confirmation hearing in October, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved Brown on a voice vote. The same day, the panel split 11-9 along party lines for Georgia Court of Appeals Judge William Ray, nominated to the federal bench for the Northern District of Georgia.

Isakson told the Senate before the vote that the courts need Brown's life experience as a business litigator both with Alston & Bird and King & Spalding.

“The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has called him one of the great lawyers in the United States of America,” Isakson said.