His historic confirmation as the first Muslim-American (and Pakistani-American) Article III federal judge in the U.S. marked a pivotal moment in the diversity and inclusivity of the federal judiciary.
TRENTON, NJ, December 05, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Honorable Judge Zahid N. Quraishi has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Judge Quraishi, a distinguished United States District Judge in the District of New Jersey, has made significant contributions to the legal field. Throughout his distinguished career, he has been a steadfast advocate for public service, dedicating countless hours to the pursuit of justice and the well-being of his community. Appointed in 2021, Judge Quraishi's historic confirmation as the first Muslim-American (and Pakistani-American) Article III federal judge in the United States marked a pivotal moment in the diversity and inclusivity of the federal judiciary.
As a first-generation American, Judge Quraishi embodies the vibrant spirit and diverse experiences that come with immigrant heritage, and his tenure on the bench is characterized by a commitment to justice and equality. Before rising to his current role, Judge Quraishi served as a United States Magistrate Judge in the District of New Jersey in the Trenton Vicinage since 2019 where he was the first Asian-American to serve on the federal court in New Jersey. In that capacity, he handled various pretrial matters and provided crucial support to district judges, which laid a strong foundation for his subsequent appointment as a District Judge.
Prior to his judicial appointments, Hon. Judge Quraishi was a partner in private practice at the law firm of Riker Danzig and chairperson of the firm's White Collar Criminal Defense and Investigations practice group. His practice focused on white collar criminal defense, internal corporate investigations, and complex civil litigation.
In private practice, Judge Quraishi had extensive experience representing clients with government enforcement and compliance issues involving potential criminal charges. He regularly managed complex federal and state court litigation on behalf of corporations, and their officers, directors, and employees. Judge Quraishi has represented both companies and individuals in connection with criminal investigations involving violations of securities law, healthcare fraud, money laundering, computer crimes, environmental statutes, public corruption, and tax laws among other white collar areas of law. His practice also extended to representing both corporations and individuals in complex federal and state civil litigation.
Before joining Riker Danzig, Judge Quraishi served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey for over five years. He tried numerous federal criminal cases involving public corruption, financial fraud, perjury, firearms and narcotics offenses within the Special Prosecutions Division, and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and Government Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division.
Judge Quraishi's government service and prosecutorial experience extends well beyond his years at the U.S. Attorney's Office. He previously represented the United States as an Assistant Chief Counsel and trial attorney with the Department of Homeland Security. He also served as a military prosecutor and achieved the rank of Captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. In the Army, Judge Quraishi was assigned to the First Infantry Division stationed in Germany and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004 and 2006 before he was honorably discharged. For his military service, Judge Quraishi was awarded the Bronze Star, Combat Action Badge, two Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and Overseas Service Ribbon. He currently remains a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), a veterans organization that he has strongly supported for many years.
Earlier in his career, Judge Quraishi worked as a litigation associate at LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, LLP and clerked for the Honorable Edwin H. Stern, Presiding Judge, Superior Court of New Jersey - Appellate Division (retired).
Prior to his elevation to the federal bench, Judge Quraishi also served as a trustee of several prominent organizations to include the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey, the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey, and the United States Attorney's Office Alumni Association (DNJ).
Judge Quraishi has been recognized by the legal community, Asian-American community, and Muslim-American community for years. Most recently, he was awarded the 2024 Trailblazer Award from the New York Police Department and Pakistani-American Law Enforcement Society. He also received the 2024 Leadership Impact Award from the Nation Muslim American Law Enforcement Association. He also served as the commencement speaker at the 2024 Rutgers Law School Graduation. In 2023, he served as the keynote speaker at the annual conferences for the National Muslim Law Students Association. In 2022, Judge Quraishi received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Rutgers Law School. He also was selected as the commencement speaker for the 2022 Seton Hall Law School Graduation where he also received an honorary degree from the university. Judge Quraishi also was honored as the keynote speaker at the Rutgers University Law Review Alumni Gala and was jointly recognized for his community contributions by Rutgers Law School's APALSA, MLSA, and SALSA student organizations. Additionally, he was awarded the 2022 Trailblazer Award from APALA-NJ. Judge Quraishi served as the Grand Marshal at the 2022 Muslim Day Parade in New York City and was the 2022 Keynote Speaker at the National Association of Muslim Lawyer's annual conference. In 2021, Judge Quraishi received SABA-NJ's Legal Excellence Award, the Excellence in Leadership Award from the Muslim American Leadership Alliance, and was honored by the Consul General of Pakistan for his historic appointment as a district judge. In 2019, Judge Quraishi received APALA-NJ's Professional Achievement Award, SABA-NJ's Standing Ovation Award, NJMLA's Trailblazer of the Year Award, and was honored as a community trailblazer by Rutgers Law School's Muslim Law Students Association.
Additionally, as a practitioner, Judge Quraishi has been recognized in his legal field by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business as one of the country's leading white collar lawyers, Best Lawyers in America®, a peer review of U.S. lawyers, and "Super Lawyers" by Thomson Reuters. He previously received Rutgers APALSA's alumni award for leadership and service in the profession in 2017. In 2014, shortly after entering private practice at Riker Danzig, Judge Quraishi was named a "New Leader of the Bar" by the New Jersey Law Journal.
Raised by immigrant parents from Pakistan (Dr. Nisar A. Quraishi and Shahida P. Quraishi), and born in New York City, Judge Quraishi attributes much of his success to their dedication and sacrifices, which instilled in him a strong work ethic and an appreciation for the opportunities available to him. Such a relentless commitment to making a meaningful impact on society shines brightly in every endeavor he undertakes, whether in the courtroom or through community outreach. While he has donned many prestigious titles and taken on many significant responsibilities, Judge Quraishi has been outspoken that none resonate with him more profoundly than the cherished role of being a father—his greatest source of pride and fulfillment being nurturing and guiding his children, instilling in them the values of compassion, integrity and resilience.
Looking ahead, Judge Quraishi is excited to simply continue fulfilling his duties as a United States District Judge and handling the important cases before his court. All in all, Judge Quraishi's life story weaves together a rich tapestry of hopes, dreams and challenges that many face in pursuit of the American ideal.
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