The Palau Judiciary is pleased to welcome our new Senior Court Counsel for 2016 – 2017, Mr. Peter D. Huffman.
Peter—better known as Pete—grew up in small land-locked towns in Indiana and Alabama. After high school Pete joined the navy and attended the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where he received his B.S. in Chemistry, graduating near the top of his class in May 2002. He was awarded the Secretary of the Navy Distinguished Graduate award.
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From 2002 to 2009 Pete served the Navy in numerous capacities. Pete was a Nuclear Engineer at the Naval Reactors Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He was a Reactor Electrical Division Officer aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, where he led a 40-sailor division responsible for electrical maintenance on nuclear reactors. He also supervised a 20-sailor team responsible for the safe operation of a nuclear plant during overseas deployment. Pete also attended Nuclear Power School in Charleston, South Carolina, where he completed a yearlong training course in the operation of nuclear reactors, graduating first in his class. Pete also was a Combat Information Center Officer aboard the USS John S. McCain, a forward-deployed U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer based in Yokosuka, Japan, where he led a 25-sailor division responsible for operating and maintaining the onboard tactical and navigational nerve center. After his time in the Navy, Pete went on to Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut, where he received his J.D. in May of 2012. While at Yale, he was an Articles Editor of the Yale Law Journal. Most recently, he served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Henry F. Floyd on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Pete is joined here in Palau by his wife Fernanda Maria Huffman. Fernanda attended Fordham University in New York City, where she earned a B.A. in Political Science, magna cum laude. She is currently studying for a Master’s Degree from Staffordshire University in Transnational Organized Crime, with a focus on combating human trafficking and other illegal activities. Pete enjoys soccer, running, reading, heist films, and—as a Navy man—of course travel and the sea. Fernanda, who is fluent in Spanish, also enjoys the sea, as well as football, teaching zumba salsa dancing, and various other athletic and outdoor activities. Pete and his wife Fernanda are excited to be in Palau for the upcoming year and look forward to taking advantage of all their new home has to offer.
Pete will be joined in the next month by one additional new Court Counsel. [/restrict]