--- title: "Gerard E. Lynch | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/gerard-e-lynch" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Gerard E. Lynch U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit · U.S. Circuit Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit - State: National federal courts - Role: U.S. Circuit Judge - Service status: senior - Last verified: 2026-07-25 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Gerard Edmund Lynch, born September 4, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York, serves as a senior United States circuit judge on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, a position he has held since assuming senior status on September 5, 2016 - Judge, Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 2009-present - Originally appointed to the Second Circuit by President Barack Obama in 2009, becoming the first appeals-court judge nominated by Obama to be confirmed by the Senate - Judge, District Court, S.D. New York, 2000-2009 - Prior to that, Lynch held the role of a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York from 2000 to 2009, appointed by President Bill Clinton and confirmed by the Senate. - Professor, Columbia University School of Law, 1977-2000 - He held the role of Vice Dean of Columbia Law School from 1992 to 1997 and holds the title of Paul J. Kellner Professor of Law - Assistant U.S. attorney, Southern District of New York, 1990-1992 - Associate counsel, Office of Independent Counsel, Iran-Contra investigation, 1988-1990 - Assistant U.S. attorney, Southern District of New York, 1980-1983 - He clerked for Judge Wilfred Feinberg of the Second Circuit and Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. before joining the Columbia Law School faculty in 1977. - Law clerk, Hon. William J. Brennan, Jr., Supreme Court of the United States, 1976-1977 - Law clerk, Hon. Wilfred Feinberg, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 1975-1976 ### Education - Lynch graduated first in his class from Regis High School, Columbia College (B.A., 1972), and Columbia Law School (J.D., 1975). - In addition to his judicial duties, Lynch continues to teach at Columbia Law School, offering courses in criminal law, procedure, sentencing, and professional responsibility. ### Additional information - Private practice, New York City, 1992-2000 - chief, Criminal Division, 1990-1992 - Date of birth: 1951-01-01 - He has also lectured internationally at institutions such as the University of Tokyo, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Leiden University. - Gerard E. Lynch’s career reflects a combination of judicial service, legal scholarship, and public service, making him a prominent figure in the American legal system. - Lynch has received multiple honors, including the Edward Weinfeld Award for contributions to justice, the Learned Hand Medal for Excellence in Federal Jurisprudence, the Wien Prize for Social Responsibility, and Columbia Law School’s Medal for Excellence. - He is a member of the Council of the American Law Institute and has served on numerous professional committees. - Birth place: Brooklyn, NY ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### appellate oral argument Scope: courtwide In federal courts of appeals, oral argument is allowed unless a three-judge panel unanimously finds one of Rule 34's specified grounds for dispensing with it; the clerk provides the date, time, place, and time allocation. Evidence excerpt: Oral argument must be allowed in every case unless a panel of three judges who have examined the briefs and record unanimously agrees that oral argument is unnecessary [Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-appellate-procedure) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391166) - [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391166) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391166) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1996/gerard-e-lynch/) - [Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-appellate-procedure) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1996/gerard-e-lynch/) - [Wikidata: Gerard E. Lynch](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5549984) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/gerard-e-lynch", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/gerard-e-lynch", "name": "Gerard E. Lynch | KnowJudges", "description": "Gerard E. Lynch, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-07", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/gerard-e-lynch#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/gerard-e-lynch#judge", "name": "Gerard E. 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