Hutchinson, George

Prior to joining Finnegan, George Hutchinson served for 47 years in the judicial branch of the federal government. He worked at the U.S. Supreme Court for 24 years in various positions, including assistant marshal. In that capacity, he opened and supervised each session of the Court for 10 years. George served as the first clerk of the Federal Circuit and continued in that capacity until his retirement. 

George also served as marshal and later clerk of the U.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals, the predecessor court to the present U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. When the Federal Circuit Bar Association was formed in 1985, he became the executive director and served until 2003. George is currently the executive trustee of the Federal Circuit Historical Society.

Through his service in the judicial branch, George gained extensive insight into the practice and procedure at the federal appellate level. He served as president of the Federal Court Clerks Association, a nationwide organization of federal clerks and deputy clerks. He played an active role in developing rules and practice for both the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals and the Federal Circuit. For many years, he was the manager of the annual Judicial Conference of both of these courts.