KOROR, Palau — Peter D. Huffman was sworn in as an Associate Justice of the Trial Division of the Palau Supreme Court on December 16, 2024.
Justice Huffman has a diverse professional background. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the United States Naval Academy and served seven years as an officer in the U.S. Navy. During his naval career, he served on the destroyer USS John S. McCain, forward deployed in Japan, and the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, with deployments to the Arabian Gulf.
After his naval service, Huffman graduated from Yale Law School, where he was an articles editor for the Yale Law Journal. He practiced complex litigation at a private law firm in New York City, where he also engaged in pro bono legal work. In 2015, he clerked for Judge Henry Floyd on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Huffman first worked with Palau’s Judiciary in 2016, serving as Senior Court Counsel. He later joined the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in 2018, where he worked on environmental litigation and training programs for junior lawyers.
Huffman’s wife, Fernanda Huffman, and their six-year-old son, Oliver, are accompanying him in Palau. Fernanda holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in transnational organized crime with a focus on combating human trafficking. She previously worked as a Senior Program Manager at the Latin American Youth Center in Washington, D.C., focusing on programs for homeless and runaway youth.
Justice Huffman’s appointment to the Palau Supreme Court adds to his career experience in public service and legal practice.