Memphis, TN – Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, is pleased to announce the appointment of four new Assistant United States Attorneys for the district: Mary Morris, Jermal Blanchard, Courtney Lewis, and Bryce Phillips. All four of the new AUSAs will work out of the Memphis office.
United States Attorney Ritz said: “With the hiring of Mary, Jermal, Courtney, and Bryce, we have recruited top legal talent to fulfill the Department’s mission of upholding the rule of law, protecting civil rights, and keeping Americans safe. These four attorneys are already hard at work promoting and defending the interests of our great country. I’m thankful for their commitment to a career in federal public service.”
Mary Morris joins the office from the University of Memphis School of Law, where she was a professor for several years. Mary was previously a member at Burch, Porter & Johnson in Memphis, where she had a broad litigation practice with a focus on federal cases, including federal criminal and habeas matters. Mary clerked for Judge Julia Gibbons of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and Judge Samuel H. Mays, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. She graduated from the University of Alabama and Yale Law School. Mary has been appointed Appellate Chief and Special Counsel.
Jermal Blanchard joins the office from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office, where he was a prosecutor for over six years. Jermal has extensive courtroom experience and has handled a variety of complex criminal matters, including murder, human trafficking, and sexual abuse cases. He graduated from the University of Memphis and Florida Coastal School of Law. Jermal is assigned to the office’s Firearms and Violent Crimes Unit.
Courtney Lewis joins the office from the United States Navy, where she has had a decorated career. She served as a Judge Advocate for 16 years and is also certified as a military judge. Courtney is an experienced prosecutor who has litigated several dozen criminal jury trials and supervised thousands of additional investigations and trials. She graduated from Villanova University and Suffolk University Law School. Courtney is assigned to the office’s General Crimes Unit.
Bryce Phillips joins the office from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office, where he served as a prosecutor for more than a decade. Bryce has managed all sorts of criminal investigations and has tried dozens of cases. He was a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office from 2017 to 2019. Bryce graduated from Middle Tennessee State University and the University of Memphis School of Law. Bryce is assigned to the office’s Organized Crime and Narcotics Unit.
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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.