Nicola T. Hanna

The appointment of Hanna, which will take effect on Friday, is being made today by Attorney General Jeff Sessions pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546, which provides that “the Attorney General may appoint a United States Attorney for the district in which the office of United States Attorney is vacant.”

“Nick Hanna has earned the respect of California’s legal community as both a defense attorney and as a prosecutor,” Sessions said. “He spent more than seven years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Justice Department taking on drug traffickers and other criminals. Now Nick will continue that great work as Interim United States Attorney for the Central District of California. With his expertise and his outstanding record, the people of California can be confident in his leadership.”

Hanna is currently a partner at the Irvine office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. He previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Los Angles from 1990 to 1994, where he prosecuted major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, as well as violent and economic crimes.

From 1995 to 1998, Hanna served as an Assistant United States Attorney in San Diego, where he focused on investigating and prosecuting international drug cartels.

Hanna received his B.A. from the University of California, San Diego, and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University.

When Hanna becomes the Interim United States Attorney on Friday, Acting United States Attorney Sandra R. Brown will resume her role as the First Assistant United States Attorney.