R. Guy Cole, Jr.

R. Guy Cole, Jr. is chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Columbus, Ohio, nominated by President Clinton and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1995 as judge. In August 2014, he assumed the role of Chief Judge for the Sixth Circuit, becoming the first African- American to hold that position since the court's formation in 1869. During his 20 years on the appellate bench, Judge Cole has authored hundreds of legal opinions, including landmark decisions on bank- ruptcy, civil rights, criminal procedure and the scope of the First Amendment, among others. Prior to joining the Sixth Circuit, he was an attorney in private practice at the Columbus law firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, and as a litigator for the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. Judge Cole's judgeship roots began when he served as a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of Ohio from 1987-93. He is an adjunct professor at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and on the governing boards of several philanthropic organizations in central Ohio. Judge Cole received his undergraduate degree from Tufts University in 1972 and his J.D. in 1975 from Yale Law School.