By JAMES FINK
Business First

With the backing of New York's senior senator, William Hochul has been nominated to serve as the U.S. attorney for the Western District of New York.

Hochul was recommended for the post by Sen. Charles Schumer, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over all U.S. attorney confirmations. Schumer submitted Hochul's name to President Obama, who will make an appointment subject to Senate confirmation.

Hochul is an assistant U.S. attorney and head of the Western District's National Security Division. He has prosecuted some of the region's highest-profile cases, including the corruption trials concerning Laborers Local 91 and the prosecution of the Lackawanna Six on terrorism-related charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Mehltretter has been serving as interim U.S. attorney since Terrance Flynn resigned in January. Named to the federal post by President George W. Bush in 2006, Flynn is now a lawyer with the Harris Beach LLC law firm.

The Western District is a sweeping region that includes Erie, Niagara, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates counties.

Hochul has served the Western District since 1991.

"Mr. Hochul has had a long and distinguished career in public service," Schumer said. "His exceptional, innovative legal mind, his commitment to justice, and his extensive experience will make him an outstanding U.S. Attorney for the Western District."

Hochul is the husband of Erie County Clerk Kathleen Hochul.

Before serving the Western District office, which is based out of downtown Buffalo, Hochul was an assistant U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C. He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1981 and a law degree from the University at Buffalo in 1984. Hochul is a past winner of the Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service.