Sven Erik Holmes (born 1951) is an American attorney and jurist who served as
United States District Judge of the
United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
After leaving the Judiciary, Holmes became the Vice Chairman, Legal, Risk and Regulatory, and Chief Legal Officer for global accounting firm
KPMG
KPMG International Limited (or simply KPMG) is a multinational professional services network, and one of the Big Four accounting organizations.
Headquartered in Amstelveen, Netherlands, although incorporated in London, England, KPMG is a net ...
. At KPMG, he directed the office of general counsel, risk management, government affairs, security, and ethics and compliance programs. He was also counsel to the board of directors, and a member of the management committee. In 2009, ''Ethicsphere'' named him one of America's 100 most influential people in
business ethics
Business ethics (also known as Corporate Ethics) is a form of applied ethics or professional ethics, that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that can arise in a business environment. It applies to all aspects of business co ...
. In 2007, ''
Accounting Today'' named him one of the "Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting." Also in 2007, Homes was elected as a fellow of the
National Academy of Public Administration. In 2014, National Law Journal named him "America's 50 Outstanding General Counsel." In 2018, Holmes received the "Scales of Justice Award" fro
Equal Justice Works a "nonprofit organization that brings together an extensive network of law students, lawyers, legal services organizations, and supporters to promote a lifelong commitment to public service and equal justice."
Early life and education
Born in
Grand Junction, Colorado, and raised in
Bartlesville, Oklahoma,
"Holmes Takes Oath as Federal Judge"
''The Oklahoman'', April 12, 1995. Retrieved May 9, 2017. Holmes received his Artium Baccalaureus
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
degree from Harvard University in 1973, a Juris Doctor
The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law
and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...
from the University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia School of Law (Virginia Law or UVA Law) is the law school of the University of Virginia, a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as part of his "academical v ...
in 1980, and a Master of Laws (Taxation) from Georgetown University Law Center in 1987. He served as a law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person, generally someone who provides direct counsel and assistance to a lawyer or judge by researching issues and drafting legal opinions for cases before the court. Judicial clerks often play significant ...
to United States District Judge Thomas Rutherford Brett
Thomas Rutherford Brett (October 2, 1931 – February 6, 2021) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Education and career
Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Brett received ...
from 1980 to 1981.
Career
Previously, Holmes was a partner at the law firm of Williams & Connolly in Washington, D.C., was staff director and general counsel to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence from 1987 to 1989, Vice President of the Baltimore Orioles from 1989 to 1993, and administrative assistant to Governor David L. Boren of Oklahoma from 1975 to 1977. He also taught constitutional law as an adjunct professor at the University of Tulsa College of Law from 1999 to 2005.
He currently sits on the Board of Trustees of St Mary's College of Maryland
St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM) is a public liberal arts college in St. Mary's City, Maryland.Maryland State Archives, Online Manual, "St. Mary's College Of Maryland: Origin & Functions" http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/25univ/stmary ...
, and the Board of Trustees of Ford's Theatre.
Federal judicial service
Holmes was nominated by President Bill Clinton on September 22, 1994, to a seat vacated by Judge James O. Ellison. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 7, 1994, and received commission on November 21, 1994. In 2001, Chief Justice William Rehnquist appointed him to the Budget Committee for the Judicial Conference of the United States
The Judicial Conference of the United States, formerly known as the Conference of Senior Circuit Judges, was created by the United States Congress in 1922 with the principal objective of framing policy guidelines for administration of judicial cour ...
, where he served as vice chair from 2004 to 2005. The Budget Committee consults with Judicial Conference committees to formulate and submit for approval by the Conference's annual budget; it then presents the budget to the United States Congress. He served as chief judge from 2003 to 2005. His resigned from the court on March 13, 2005.
From 2016 to 2018, he served as chairman of the board for the Council for Court Excellence in Washington, D.C.
Personal life
Holmes lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife Lois Romano, a long-time journalist with ''The Washington Post''. They have two daughters.
References
Sources
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holmes, Sven Erik
1951 births
Living people
Harvard University alumni
University of Virginia School of Law alumni
Georgetown University Law Center alumni
University of Tulsa College of Law faculty
Judges of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
United States district court judges appointed by Bill Clinton
KPMG people
People from Grand Junction, Colorado
People from Bartlesville, Oklahoma
20th-century American judges
21st-century American judges