 He served as an Assistant United States Attorney, from 1982 to 1997, serving as a Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney, from 1982 to 1992, Interim United States Attorney, from 1992 to 1994, and Senior Litigation Counsel, from 1994 to 1997.He served as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of New York, from 1997 to 2004.He was nominated to the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York by George W. Bush on April 28, 2003, to a seat vacated by Thomas J. McAvoy, confirmed by the Senate on January 28, 2004, and received his commission on January 29, 2004.