Education and legal career
Cullen is a 1996 graduate of Collegiate School in Richmond, Virginia. He received his bachelor of arts from Furman University cum laude in 2000. He received his juris doctor from the William & Mary School of Law in 2004, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif. He was a law clerk to Judge Robert E. Payne of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia from 2004 to 2005 and for Judge Roger Gregory of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit from 2005 to 2006.
Cullen served as an assistant United States attorney for the Western District of North Carolina from 2006 to 2010 and for the Western District of Virginia from 2010 to 2013, where he was Deputy Criminal Chief. Before becoming U.S. Attorney, he was a principal/partner at Woods Rogers PLC in Roanoke, Virginia, from 2013 to 2018, representing clients in complex civil and criminal litigation. [1] [2]
U.S. Attorney
Cullen was recommended as a candidate for United States attorney by Virginia Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. [3] On March 22, 2018, his nomination was reported out of committee by voice vote. [4] He was confirmed by voice vote later the same day. [5] He was sworn in on March 30, 2018. As U.S. Attorney, Cullen directed the federal response to the deadly "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, successfully prosecuting several white supremacists who committed hate crimes and other acts of violence. [6] His tenure as U.S. Attorney ended on September 15, 2020, when he became a federal district judge. [7]
Federal judicial service
On December 18, 2019, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Cullen to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia. [8] On February 4, 2020, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Trump nominated Cullen to the seat vacated by Judge Glen E. Conrad, who assumed senior status on December 11, 2017. [9] On March 4, 2020, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee. [10] On May 14, 2020, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 17–5 vote. [11] On September 9, 2020, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 77–18 vote. [12] On September 10, 2020, his nomination was confirmed by a 79–19 vote. [13] He received his judicial commission on September 15, 2020. [14]
Awards and honors
In 2022, Cullen was named a trustee at his alma mater, Furman University. [17]
In 2024, he was named the Carter O. Lowance Fellow at William & Mary Law School. [18]
In 2024, Furman University awarded Cullen an honorary doctorate in law. [19]
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