. ▁ ▁Born ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁West ▁Orange , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁Far rell ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁with ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁in ▁English ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁and ▁received ▁his ▁Master ▁of ▁Arts ▁in ▁German ▁from ▁Columbia ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 . ▁Before ▁law ▁school ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁high ▁school ▁teacher ▁and ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁English ▁Department ▁at ▁Ge or get own ▁Pre par atory ▁School . ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁American ▁University ' s ▁Washington ▁College ▁of ▁Law , ▁Far rell ▁cl erk ed ▁for ▁a ▁judge ▁on ▁the ▁Maryland ▁Court ▁of ▁Special ▁App e als ▁and ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁pro sec utor ▁at ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Department ▁of ▁Justice ▁C riminal ▁Division ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Att orney ' s ▁office ▁for ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁chief ▁of ▁the ▁app ell ate ▁division ▁at ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Att orney ' s ▁office ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁when , ▁like ▁his ▁prede cess ors ▁Frank ▁Q . ▁Neb ek er ▁and ▁John ▁A . ▁Terry ▁and ▁his ▁success ors ▁John ▁R . ▁Fish er ▁and ▁Roy ▁W . ▁Mc Le ese , ▁he ▁was ▁nominated ▁to ▁the ▁D . C . ▁Court ▁of ▁App e als . ▁After ▁taking ▁senior ▁status ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁he ▁continued ▁to ▁hear ▁cases ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 9 .