Attorney General Eric Holder appointed Judge Connelly in October 2010. Judge Connelly received a bachelor of arts degree in 1983 and a juris doctorate in 1986, both from the State University of New York at Buffalo. From 2003 to October 2010, he worked as an assistant chief counsel, Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Buffalo, N.Y. From 1994 to 2003, Judge Connelly was a trial attorney and an assistant district counsel for the former Immigration and Naturalization Service, Buffalo. During that time, from 2000 to 2003, he was designated as a civil special assistant U.S. attorney for the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of New York. From 1992 to 1994, Judge Connelly worked as an attorney for the International Institute of Buffalo, representing individuals in immigration court proceedings. From 1989 to 1992, he was an attorney in Buffalo for Serotte, Reich and Seipp, which specialized in the practice of U.S. immigration law. Judge Connelly is a member of the New York State Bar.