Oct. 7 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. President Barack Obama today nominated David Huebner, an openly gay attorney, to be ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa.

Huebner is an attorney based in Shanghai for the Los Angeles-based law firm Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton. A graduate of Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut, he has worked with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, the White House said.

Huebner would be the first openly gay ambassador named by Obama and the third in U.S. history, the Associated Press reported.

The announcement comes three days before Obama is scheduled to address a fundraising dinner for the Human Rights Campaign, the largest U.S. gay-rights group. The Oct. 10 event is in Washington.

Obama has come under criticism from some gay and lesbian groups for not pushing for repeal of the prohibition on openly homosexual men and women serving in the U.S. military. Earlier this year, he expanded some federal benefits for domestic partners.

Obama also nominated David Nelson, a veteran State Department official, to be ambassador to Uruguay.

Both nominations must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nicholas Johnston in Washington at njohnston3@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: October 7, 2009 22:51 EDT