Wiley Y. Daniel
Honorable Wiley Y. Daniel, was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He received both his undergraduate and law degrees from Howard University in Washington, D.C. In 1995, when Judge Daniel was appointed to the United States District Court for the District of Colorado by President Clinton, he became the first African American to serve on the Court. In 2008, Judge Daniel became Chief Judge of the Court. After serving as Chief Judge for more than four years, in 2013, Judge Daniel assumed Senior Judge status and continues to preside over a demanding case load. From May 2009 to April 2011, Judge Daniel served as President of the Federal Judges Association, a national organization of over 1,100 Article III federal judges. From August 2013 to April 2015, Judge Daniel was appointed as a special mediator for the City of Detroit's bankruptcy proceeding. From 2013 to the present, Judge Daniel sits by designation with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Daniel teaches courses in trial advocacy as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado School of Law and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. He also enjoys mentoring high school, college, and law students along with practicing attorneys and other professionals. Judge Daniel continues to be a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education programs throughout the country. Prior to the judgeship, Judge Daniel practiced law for 24 years with a specialty in civil litigation. He was President of the Colorado Bar Association in 1992-1993 and is the only African American to serve in that capacity. He also served as an officer of other bar associations including President of the Sam Cary Bar Association (Colorado's Association of Black Attorneys) and Vice-President of the Denver Bar Association. He was a past member of the Supreme Court Grievance Committee. Throughout his career, he has actively participated in bar and civic organizations that emphasize diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and focus on the importance of mentoring children and young adults. From 1998 to 2003, Judge Daniel was a Trustee of the American Inns of Court Foundation, an organization which promotes professionalism, ethics, civility and excellence within the legal profession. Judge Daniel was the 2006 recipient of the American Inns of Court Foundation Professionalism Award for the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Daniel was honored by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Epsilon Nu Omega Chapter as a 2011 M.O.D.E.L. Award Honoree. In February 2012, Judge Daniel was inducted into the “Blacks in Colorado” Hall of Fame due to his pioneering professional achievements. In June 2013, Judge Daniel's current and former law clerks established the Judge Wiley Y. Daniel Endowed Scholarship Fund at his alma mater, Howard University School of Law. In October 2013, Judge Daniel was awarded the King Trimble Lifetime Achievement Award by the Sam Cary Bar Association. In recognition of his lifelong commitment to diversity and inclusiveness within the legal profession, in February 2016, Judge Daniel was selected as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Center for Legal Inclusiveness. Lastly, in July 2018, the National Black Prosecutors Association presented Judge Daniel with the Trailblazer Award.
(04/19)
