The search for the Southern District of California’s next top federal prosecutor is close to wrapping up, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported ^[1] today.

The screening panel established by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) stopped accepting applications earlier this summer, according to the newspaper. Boxer will advise President Obama on who he should nominate, but it is unknown if she has made recommendations yet, the Union-Tribune reported.

Here are the finalists for the post, lawyers familiar with the screening committee told the newspaper:

Jerry Coughlan (Coughlan, Semmer & Lipman)

-Timothy Coughlin (Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of California)

-Laura Duffy (Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of California)

-Kevin Kelly (First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of California)

-Jerry Coughlan (Partner at San Diego law firm Coughlan, Semmer & Lipman ^[2])

Acting U.S. Attorney Karen Hewitt currently leads the Southern District office. She was appointed by the district’s judges after Carol Lam was fired during the 2006 U.S. Attorney purge.

Boxer must also make U.S. Attorney recommendations for the Northern District of California. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is in charge of recommending candidates for the Central and Eastern districts.

Obama nominated Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner to be the top federal prosecutor in the Eastern District. Read about possible candidates for the California posts in our U.S. Attorney’s chart ^[3].