Michael Levy, 40, has been named chief of the appeals unit in the Criminal Division of the Southern District U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara announced last week. He replaces Katherine Failla, who recently was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to a seat on the Southern District bench.

A graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Levy joined the office in October 2002 after working as an associate at Sidley Austin. Before being named to the appeals unit, he was a member of the prosecutor’s securities and commodities fraud task force. Levy also was deputy chief of appeals from 2009 to 2010 and served in the public corruption, major crimes, narcotics and general crimes units. He will earn $155,400 annually.