CHEYENNE - A Casper native and University of Wyoming graduate has been mentioned as a possible replacement for U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter, who plans to retire soon.

M. Margaret McKeown, a justice on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, was listed as a potential nominee by The Associated Press on Friday.

McKeown may have an edge, some court watchers believe, because President Barack Obama is thought likely to nominate a woman to the court.

Born in 1951, McKeown graduated from Kelly Walsh High School in 1969 and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from UW in 1972. She received a law degree from Georgetown University in 1975.

During her 34-year legal career, McKeown worked in private practice in Seattle and Washington, D.C., where she represented clients such as The Boeing Company, Nintendo of America and Citicorp.

She also served as a White House fellow and special assistant to the Secretary of the Interior.

She was nominated to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 1997 by President Bill Clinton, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1998.

In an interview with the Star-Tribune in 2006, McKeown credited a visit to the nation's Capitol with her Casper schoolmates as the spark of her passion for government.

"The highlight of my visit was a hot fudge sundae in the Senate dining room," said McKeown, adding that a discussion during the visit with then U.S. Sen. Cliff Hansen inspired her to become a lawyer.

McKeown faces some stiff competition for the Supreme Court nomination.

Other possible nominees on the AP list include Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, Kathleen Sullivan, former dean of Stanford Law School, and others.

Contact capital bureau reporter Jared Miller at 307-632-1244 or jared.miller@trib.com. Read his blog at tribtown.trib.com/JaredMiller/blog.