outstanding job leading the Campaign Financing Task Force for the past year.” Defense Attorney George Laughrun described him as “one of the most ethical lawyers I know.” Another defense attorney described Conrad as “a tough minded but fair prosecutor who is scrupulously honest.” Conrad was promoted to United States Attorney in the same district from 2001 until 2004. During the Bush Administration, Attorney General John Ashcroft appointed Conrad to the Attorney General's Advisory Committee as Vice Chair of the Advisory Committee on Terrorism along with Patrick Fitzgerald, and also appointed Conrad Chair of the Committee on Violent Crime. Conrad's office was instrumental in prosecuting supporters of the Hezbollah terrorist cell in North Carolina. Conrad also prosecuted violent intimidation, including at least one cross-burning case, during which Conrad stated: “Race-motivated, cross-burning conduct is anathema to a civilized society. We are gratified that the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the notion that such conduct can be provoked.” Governor Roy Cooper, then the North Carolina Attorney General, said that Conrad had ““the qualities that you wanted not only in a U.S. attorney but as a judge. He has a moral compass. He is a person of faith who knows right from wrong. He has integrity. And he respects and honors the rule of law.” Federal Judicial Service Conrad was nominated by President George W. Bush to the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina on February 14, 2005, to a new seat authorized by 116 Stat. 1758. He was confirmed on April 28, 2005. He received his judicial commission on June 2, 2005. He became Chief Judge of the district in 2006 and served in that capacity until 2013. Conrad was elected by his peers and appointed by Chief Justice Roberts to a position on the Judicial Conference of the United States. He chaired the District Court Representatives group of that Judicial Conference in 2020. From 2016 to 2020, he served on the Executive Committee of the Judicial Conference. He also chaired the COVID-19 Task Force on Reconstituting the Jury Trial. Conrad currently serves on the Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Criminal Rules, where he is a liaison to the Evidence Rules Advisory Committee. While a judge on the bench of the Western District of North Carolina, Conrad was involved in the local and state bar serving as Vice-President of the N.C. Bar Association (2011–12), member and Chair