Attorney David J. Hickton, the presumed frontrunner for the position of U.S. attorney in Pittsburgh, has one step to clear before being nominated, sources said.

The Department of Justice has begun preliminary vetting on Mr. Hickton, a founding attorney with the law firm Burns, White & Hickton in 1987. He is believed to be the No. 1 choice of Sens. Bob Casey and Arlen Specter.

No formal announcement on the selection has been made.

However, the Department of Justice has already begun speaking to people within Pittsburgh's legal community about Mr. Hickton's qualifications, background and character.

The next steps after formal nomination would be a formal FBI inquiry and confirmation by the U.S. Senate.

Among those interviewed was Senior U.S. District Judge Gustave Diamond. Mr. Hickton was a law clerk for the judge in 1981 and 1982.

Though the judge did not want to talk extensively on the matter before a formal nomination is made, he did say that he believed Mr. Hickton to be "highly qualified for the position."

Mr. Hickton's law firm specializes in transportation, litigation, and business law.

As an expert in the area, Mr. Hickton was chosen in 2006 by Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato to chair his Transportation Action Team.

Allegheny County Democratic Chairman Jim Burn, a fellow attorney, served on that panel with Mr. Hickton.

"What an asset he's been to the community," he said.

Mr. Burn praised Mr. Hickton for the energy and ability he brought to the group. Further, he said that he has a highly respected record in the legal community.

"He shows an impeccable ability to call it like he sees it and do the right thing," Mr. Burn said.

Mr. Hickton represented former Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy in a federal investigation involving the handling of a 2001 contract involving city firefighters.

Mr. Murphy designed a contract that prompted the firefighters union to switch its mayoral endorsement from then-City Council President Bob O'Connor to himself.

U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan did not ultimately bring charges against Mr. Murphy, but she didn't clear him in the case either. Instead, he agreed to cooperate with federal, state and local authorities in identifying flaws in Pennsylvania's collective bargaining law.

Mr. Hickton has been active in both local and national Democratic politics.

President Bill Clinton appointed Mr. Hickton to the President's Advisory Committee on the Arts of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1999.

Mr. Hickton has a bachelor's degree from Penn State University and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1981.

At the beginning of this year, Mr. Hickton transitioned into an "of counsel," position within his law firm, meaning that he likely will be taking on fewer duties.

The firm's Web site also notes that Mr. Hickton is the principal and founder of a strategic consulting firm in Pittsburgh, DH Consulting.

Mr. Hickton's father, Jack, was appointed as the Allegheny County District Attorney and served in that office for 18 months from 1974 to 1976.

David Hickton is one of eight people who interviewed this summer for the U.S. attorney position in the Western District of Pennsylvania.

If approved by the U.S. Senate, Mr. Hickton will replace Ms. Buchanan.

Ms. Buchanan has not said what her future plans include.

First Published: October 27, 2009, 8:00 a.m.