US President Barack Obama has nominated an Indian-American attorney from Chicago to a key judiciary post in Illinois.

Manish S Shah (40), was announced to be nominated for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, along with several other important judiciary nominations.

"These men and women have had distinguished legal careers and I am honoured to ask them to continue their work as judges on the federal bench. They will serve the American people with integrity and an unwavering commitment to justice," Obama said in a statement yesterday.

An Assistant US Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois since 2001, New York-born Shah currently serves as Chief of the Criminal Division, having previously served as Chief of Criminal Appeals from 2011 to 2012.

Shah was also Deputy Chief of the Financial Crimes and Special Prosecutions Section from 2008 to 2011 and Deputy Chief of the General Crimes Section from 2007 to 2008.
"Manish Shah's stellar record in working with former US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald makes him an outstanding candidate to be the next federal district court judge for Northern Illinois," Senator Mark Kirk said.

"He's the most experienced prosecutor we have, and I will continue to work with Senator Durbin to make sure we have highly-skilled candidates like Shah to help strengthen our courts and clean up Illinois," Kirk said in a statement welcoming the nomination of the US President.

So did the Senator from Illinois. "Manish Shah has served with distinction as an Assistant US Attorney, and he will bring a wealth of knowledge and legal acumen to the federal bench in Northern Illinois," said Senator Dick Durbin.

"I firmly support his nomination today by President Obama and look forward to working Senator Kirk to see his nomination considered in the Senate Judiciary Committee and swiftly confirmed by the full Senate," Durbin said, reflecting the bipartisan support the Shah enjoys in the Congress.

Shah's parents emigrated from India and raised their two sons in West Hartford, Connecticut. Shah and his wife Joanna Grisinger, who teaches at Northwestern University, currently live in Chicago.