Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Paul A. McCloskey to begin hearing cases in October2018. Judge McCloskey earned a Bachelor of Science in 1996 from Towson State University anda Juris Doctor in 1999 from the University of Maryland School of Law. From 2002 to 2018, heserved in several positions with the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration andCustoms Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Washington, D.C. From 2016 to2018, he was an associate deputy principal legal advisor for Field Legal Operations. From 2014to 2016, he was deputy chief of the Criminal Law Section. From 2010 to 2014 he was anassociate legal advisor in the Criminal Law Section. From 2008 to 2010, he was an associatelegal advisor in the Enforcement Law Division, serving on a detail as a trial attorney in theDomestic Security Section, Criminal Division, Department of Justice. From 2002 to 2008, hewas an assistant chief counsel in Baltimore and New Orleans. From 2001 to 2002, he was asenior immigration officer in the Office of Congressional Relations with the former Immigrationand Naturalization Service (INS) in Washington, D.C. From 1999 to 2001, he was a presidentialmanagement intern with INS in Washington, D.C. Judge McCloskey is a member of theMaryland State Bar.