Philip Martin Pro

Philip Martin Pro (born December 12, 1946) is a former United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada. He is currently an arbitrator and mediator in private practice.

Education and career

Born in Richmond, California, Pro received an Associate of Arts degree from Contra Costa Community College in 1966, a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Francisco State University in 1968, and a Juris Doctor from Golden Gate University School of Law in 1972. He served in the United States Naval Reserve from 1964 to 1968. After serving as a law clerk to Judge William P. Compton of the Eighth Judicial District Court of Nevada from 1972 to 1973, Pro worked as a deputy public defender in Las Vegas, Nevada from 1973 to 1975. He was an Assistant United States Attorney in Las Vegas from 1975 to 1978. He was in private practice in Reno, Nevada from 1978 to 1979. He was a deputy state attorney general of Nevada from 1979 to 1980. He was the Chief Assistant United States Attorney in Reno in 1980. He served as a United States magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada from 1980 to 1987.

Federal judicial service

Pro was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on May 5, 1987, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Nevada vacated by Judge Harry E. Claiborne. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 22, 1987, and received his commission on July 23, 1987. He served as Chief Judge from 2002 to 2007. Pro took senior status on December 31, 2011. He retired from active judicial service on January 23, 2015. While serving on the bench, he received a Master of Laws in judicial studies from Duke University School of Law in 2014.