Travis J. Mock
On December 20, 2024, Judge Sanket Bulsara received his commission as a district judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Nominated by President Biden, Judge Bulsara fills the seat vacated when Judge Joan Azrack took senior status. Of course, Judge Bulsara is not new to the Eastern District bench, having served as a magistrate judge from 2017 to 2024.
A child of first-generation immigrants from India, Judge Bulsara attended Harvard College and Harvard Law School before clerking for Judge John G. Koeltl of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. After a decade at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr in New York City, Judge Bulsara moved to Washington, D.C., to join the General Counsel’s Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission. There, Judge Bulsara served first as Deputy General Counsel for Appellate Litigation, Adjudication, and Enforcement. As one of three deputy general counsels, Judge Bulsara supervised a broad portfolio of matters and was privileged, he said, to work with “amazing legal minds.” Judge Bulsara then served briefly as acting general counsel of the SEC before returning to New York City for “the wonderful opportunity to continue [his] public service” as a magistrate judge.
Judge Bulsara confirmed that his experience as a magistrate judge informs his service as a district judge. His nearly eight years as a magistrate judge provided “a granular understanding” of the “vast diversity of civil matters and litigants” that come before the court. “A one-size-fits-all approach to case management doesn’t work,” Judge Bulsara said. His experience has also confirmed for him the critical importance of providing trial-ready litigants “that last opportunity to settle” before proceeding to trial.
Deep Appreciation for Colleagues
Judge Bulsara also confirmed that his time as a magistrate judge instilled “a deep appreciation” for his magistrate judge colleagues. “The relationship between the district judges and the magistrate judges is really a partnership,” he explained. That partnership is particularly vital in the Eastern District of New York, where magistrate judges oversee pretrial proceedings in virtually all civil cases.
Asked what has been the most rewarding aspect of his first months as a district judge, Judge Bulsara responded that he particularly enjoys presiding over trials. “It is a great honor,” he said. In particular, Judge Bulsara has been struck by how seriously and diligently jurors approach their duties. “In a time of deep polarization, it is refreshing to see diverse members of the public come together to resolve issues.” Judge Bulsara continued, “While new jurors often blanche at the task of serving on a jury, to a person they find it a valuable experience.”
An Active Participant
In addition to his work on the bench, Judge Bulsara remains an active participant in the legal community both inside and outside the courthouse. Judge Bulsara continues his service as co-chair of the Eastern District of New York-Southern District of New York Joint Local Rules Committee, as well as his membership on the Eastern District of New York’s Criminal Justice Act Committee. Outside the courthouse, Judge Bulsara is a member of the Lawyers Advisory Council for the New York City Urban Debate League, an adjunct professor of securities litigation at St. John’s Law School, and a guest instructor at the Harvard Law School Trial Advocacy Workshop.
A longtime friend of the Federal Bar Council, Judge Bulsara delivered introductory remarks at the Council’s 2025 Law Day Dinner, during which he read the very first Presidential Law Day Proclamation, issued in 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Be Prepared
Judge Bulsara offered words of wisdom to lawyers appearing for oral arguments in his court. “It is obvious and appreciated when lawyers are exceptionally well prepared. The purpose of oral argument,” Judge Bulsara said, “is not to lock lawyers into a box but to get a better understanding and a level of depth on certain arguments. That purpose is achievable only when counsel come sufficiently prepared to engage in a dialogue with the court.”