US Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Michael J. Heyman as the US Attorney for the District of Alaska. Bondi made the appointment Feb. 28, and he was sworn in on Monday by US District Judge Timothy M. Burgess. He will serve on an interim basis for 120 days or until a presidential nominee is confirmed by the Senate.
He replaces S. Lane Tucker, who was released when President Donald Trump came into office. She had served as the attorney for the District of Alaska since 2022.
Heyman brings 24 years of legal experience to the role. He joined the Justice Department as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of California in 2012, where he specialized in prosecuting international narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, firearms offenses, money laundering, immigration violations, and public corruption.
His international experience includes serving as a Resident Legal Advisor at the U.S. Embassies in Kathmandu, Nepal, and Colombo, Sri Lanka, where he worked on strengthening the rule of law and combatting transnational crime.
In 2020, Heyman transitioned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alaska, focusing on complex financial crimes. His work in this area earned him the US Department of Justice Director’s Award in 2023 for outstanding prosecutorial achievements.
Before joining the Justice Department, Heyman was a partner at the international law firm K&L Gates LLP, specializing in commercial litigation and insolvency law. He also previously served as a law clerk in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. In addition to his legal practice, Heyman has been an active speaker at numerous professional events and has published multiple articles on civil and criminal law topics.
Heyman earned his Juris Doctor from the George Washington University Law School in 2001 and holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science, with honors, and International Studies from the University of California, Irvine, graduating in 1998.
“I am thrilled and humbled to serve as United States Attorney for the District of Alaska. It is the honor of a lifetime to act as the chief federal law enforcement officer in the district alongside our exceptional local, state, and federal law enforcement partners,” said Heyman. “There is a tremendous amount of work to be done. I look forward to implementing the new administration’s priorities and protecting our communities and the rule of law.”