Biden’s Planned Fourth Circuit Pick Is Steadfast Union Ally

President Joe Biden’s planned nomination to the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is seen as a gift to unions—particularly their legal allies who have felt neglected in recent years.

Biden’s intended nomination of Nicole Berner, general counsel to the Service Employees International Union, elevates an ally who has spent her career fighting for organized labor and other liberal causes. If confirmed, Berner would accelerate the leftward shift of a court that is historically one of the most conservative in the nation.

“Thumbs up,” said Jeffrey Hirsch, a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law ...