Abdul K. Kallon facts for kids

Abdul Karim Kallon was born on April 5, 1969. He is an American lawyer who used to be a judge for the United States government. He served as a district judge in Alabama. A district judge is someone who works in a court where trials happen.

Later, he was also considered to become a judge for a higher court, called the United States Court of Appeals. This court reviews decisions made by district courts.

Early Life and Education

Abdul Karim Kallon was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He moved to the United States and went to college.

College and Law School

In 1990, he earned a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College. After that, he went to University of Pennsylvania Law School. He earned his law degree there in 1993. While in law school, he helped edit a law journal.

Starting His Legal Career

From 1993 to 1994, Mr. Kallon worked for Judge U. W. Clemon. He was a "law clerk," which means he helped the judge with research and writing. In 2020, he also earned another advanced law degree from Duke Law School.

Career as a Lawyer

After working as a law clerk, Abdul Kallon became a lawyer in private practice. From 1994 until he became a judge, he worked at a law firm in Birmingham, Alabama.

Working with Businesses

He was a partner at the law firm Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. His work focused on "labor and employment law." This type of law deals with rules about jobs, like how companies should treat their employees.

Becoming a Federal Judge

In 2009, President Barack Obama chose Abdul Kallon to become a federal judge. He was nominated for a position on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. This was the same court where he had worked as a law clerk.

Confirmation and Service

The United States Senate approved his nomination on November 21, 2009. This means all the senators agreed he should be a judge. He officially started his job as a judge on January 4, 2010.

Nomination to a Higher Court

In 2016, President Obama nominated Mr. Kallon again. This time, it was to be a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. This court hears appeals from district courts in several states. However, his nomination for this higher court did not go through.

Leaving the Bench

On April 6, 2022, Judge Kallon announced he would leave his position as a federal judge. His last day was August 31, 2022. After leaving the court, he joined a law firm called Perkins Coie as a partner.

See Also

• List of African-American federal judges
• List of African-American jurists