iller ▁& ▁B aar ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁and ▁a ▁partner ▁at ▁Morris , ▁Pear ce , ▁Gard ner ▁& ▁Pr att ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁federal ▁ben ch . ▁ ▁Federal ▁jud icial ▁service ▁ ▁Pr att ▁was ▁nominated ▁by ▁President ▁Ly nd on ▁B . ▁Johnson ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁to ▁a ▁seat ▁on ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁District ▁Court ▁for ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ▁vac ated ▁by ▁Judge ▁Alexander ▁Hol t zo ff . ▁He ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁on ▁June ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁and ▁received ▁his ▁commission ▁on ▁June ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁ ▁Notable ▁cases ▁ ▁Pr att ▁pres ided ▁over ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁high - profile ▁cases ▁during ▁his ▁time ▁on ▁the ▁ben ch , ▁including ▁the ▁trial ▁of ▁G . ▁Gordon ▁L idd y ▁in ▁connection ▁with ▁the ▁Water gate ▁sc andal . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁Pr att ▁o vers aw ▁the ▁ben ch ▁trial ▁of ▁Lib by , ▁finding ▁him ▁guilty ▁of ▁two ▁counts ▁of ▁cont empt ▁of ▁Congress . ▁ ▁Pr att ▁also ▁pres ided ▁over ▁Hoff a ▁v . ▁Sax be , ▁a ▁case ▁in ▁which ▁former ▁Team sters ▁leader ▁James ▁R . ▁Hoff a ▁un success fully ▁made ▁a ▁constitution al ▁challenge ▁to