He began his career as an assistant public defender in the Shelby County Public Defender's Office in Memphis, Tennessee.

He then served as an assistant United States attorney in the Western District of Tennessee from 1989 to 2002.

He was chief administrative officer of the Shelby County government from 2002 to 2007.

[1] He was nominated to the seat vacated by Judge Bernice Bouie Donald who was elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on September 8, 2011.

He received a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 14, 2012, and his nomination was reported to the floor on April 19, 2012, by voice vote, with Senator Mike Lee recorded as voting no.