Lisa Blatt Explained

Lisa Blatt
Birth Name:Lisa Carol Schiavo
Birth Place:San Angelo, Texas, U.S.
Education:University of Texas at Austin (BA, JD)

Lisa Schiavo Blatt (born 1964/1965)[1] is an American lawyer who serves as partner and chair of the Supreme Court and Appellate practice at the law firm Williams & Connolly. As of April 28, 2024, she has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court 50 times[2] — the most of any woman in U.S. history.[3]

Blatt previously served as an Assistant to the Solicitor General and chaired the Supreme Court and Appellate practice at the law firm Arnold & Porter.[4]

Early life and career

Blatt was born Lisa Carol Schiavo in San Angelo, Texas[5] to Dr. Lois Friedman, a psychologist and professor, and Dr. Luigi Schiavo, a software engineer. She grew up in Texas in San Angelo and Bryan–College Station.[6]

Blatt was inspired by Thurgood Marshall to pursue a career in law and began speech and debate in seventh grade.[7] She attended the University of Texas at Austin for college and law school, graduating summa cum laude both times.[8] [9] After law school, she clerked for then-Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. In 1990, Blatt joined the Washington, D.C. law firm Williams & Connolly.[10] In 1993, she moved to the General Counsel's Office at the Department of Energy.[11] In 1996, she became an Assistant to the U.S. Solicitor General. She worked in the Office of the Solicitor General until 2009, when she joined Arnold & Porter. She returned to Williams & Connolly in 2019 as chair of the Supreme Court and Appellate Practice.[12] [13] Blatt is also an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University, teaching classes on constitutional law and the separation of powers.[14] [15] She was previously a visiting professor at Yale University.[16]

Political positions and career

Blatt is a pro-choice Democrat.[17] She supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.[18] On August 2, 2018, Blatt endorsed then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, touting him as “the most qualified conservative for the job.” Blatt introduced Kavanaugh at his Senate confirmation hearing alongside former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Ohio Senator Rob Portman. Maine Senator Susan Collins cited Blatt's remarks in announcing her vote to confirm Kavanaugh.[19] Blatt's support for Kavanaugh led progressive activists to lobby President-elect Joe Biden to not nominate Blatt as U.S. Solicitor General.[20]

Blatt has criticized the Senate's failure to confirm then-Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court.

Blatt is a self-identified liberal feminist. She has described the legal profession as “overrun with men” whom she has criticized as “obviously clueless that they have no talent.”[21] Blatt has advocated for diversifying the pool of lawyers arguing before the Supreme Court, urging that “[t]he numbers won’t change until we act instead of just talk.”[22] Since Blatt's return to Williams & Connolly in 2019, Blatt and two of her female partners, Sarah Harris and Amy Saharia, have collectively appeared 15 times before the Supreme Court (as of March 2023).[23] [24] [25] American Lawyer has called this all-female practice “an anomaly among its peers.”[26] Blatt also promoted the first argument since 2003 by one of only two black men in private practice to argue before the Supreme Court, Luke McCloud.[27]

She has argued 46 cases before the Supreme Court, winning in 41 cases. Law360 has called her approach to litigation "equal parts Sun Tzu and Vince Lombardi."[28]

Personal life

Blatt is married to David Blatt, a fellow partner at Williams & Connolly who specializes in commercial litigation.[29] Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg officiated their wedding in 1995. Blatt's father-in-law, Sidney Blatt, was a noted psychologist at Yale University.[30] Lisa and David Blatt have two children, Daniel and Rachel, who both have attended Stanford Law School. She is Jewish.

Publications

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 22 October 1995 . Lisa Schiavo, David Blatt . . 20 February 2023.
  2. "Lisa S. Blatt." Oyez, www.oyez.org/advocates/lisa_s_blatt. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024. Plus Snyder v. United States, argued 15/4/2024.
  3. News: Sanchez . Brandon . She Has Argued 40 Cases in Front of the Supreme Court. The Latest Was From Her Dining Room. . 2023-04-06 . Wall Street Journal . 21 May 2020 . en-US.
  4. Web site: Why SCOTUS Star Lisa Blatt Left Arnold & Porter for Williams & Connolly . 2024-07-25 . Law.com . en.
  5. News: . 3 August 2020 . Record-Breaking SCOTUS Advocate Lisa Blatt Talks Texas . The Texas Lawbook . 20 February 2023.
  6. News: . 31 August 2011 . Best Adversaries . Texas Law News . . 20 February 2023.
  7. Web site: . 14 December 2022 . SCOTUS Bar Superstar: An Interview With Lisa Blatt . 20 February 2023 . Original Jurisdiction . Substack .
  8. News: 1995-10-22 . WEDDINGS; Lisa Schiavo, David Blatt . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-04-06 . 0362-4331.
  9. News: Castro . Melissa . November 16, 2009 . Arnold & Porter names Lisa Blatt to head appellate practice . Washington Business Journal . April 5, 2023.
  10. Web site: 2020-02-04 . Reflections of a Lady Lawyer . 2023-04-06 . Texas Law Review . en-US.
  11. Web site: Daily Dicta: Why Supreme Court Star Lisa Blatt Left Arnold & Porter for Williams & Connolly . 2023-04-06 . Litigation Daily The American Lawyer . en.
  12. Web site: 2019 . Supreme Court and Appellate Partner Lisa Blatt Rejoins Williams & Connolly . 2023-01-26 . Williams & Connolly.
  13. News: Hoover . Jimmy . January 28, 2019 . High Court Veteran Returns 'Home' To Williams & Connolly . Law 360 . April 5, 2023.
  14. Web site: Lisa S. Blatt . 2023-04-06 . en-US.
  15. Web site: Lisa S. Blatt . Stanford Law School.
  16. Slifka Center. “The Supreme Court Today – An Insider’s Perspective.” Facebook. May 20, 2020. Retrieved Apr. 6, 2023.
  17. Web site: Blatt . Lisa . I'm a Liberal Feminist Lawyer. Here's Why Democrats Should Support Judge Kavanaugh. . 2023-04-06 . POLITICO Magazine . 2 August 2018 . en.
  18. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-115shrg32765/pdf/CHRG-115shrg32765.pdf Confirmation Hearing on the Nomination of Hon. Brett M. Kavanaugh: Hearing Before the S. Comm. on the Judiciary.
  19. Web site: Senator Collins Announces She Will Vote to Confirm Judge Kavanaugh U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine . 2023-04-06 . www.collins.senate.gov . 5 October 2018 . en.
  20. Web site: Meyer . Theodoric . Progressive judicial group to Biden: Pick a Black woman for solicitor general . 2023-04-06 . POLITICO . 4 December 2020 . en.
  21. Blatt . Lisa . 2010 . In Front of the Burgundy Curtain: The Top Ten Lessons I've Learned About Advocacy Before the Nation's Highest Court . The Green Bag.
  22. News: 2022-10-30 . Historically diverse Supreme Court hears disproportionately from White lawyers . 2023-04-06 . Washington Post . en.
  23. "Lisa S. Blatt." Oyez, www.oyez.org/advocates/lisa_s_blatt. Accessed 6 Apr. 2023.
  24. "Sarah M. Harris." Oyez, www.oyez.org/advocates/sarah_m_harris. Accessed 6 Apr. 2023.
  25. "Amy M. Saharia." Oyez, www.oyez.org/advocates/amy_m_saharia. Accessed 7 Apr. 2023.
  26. News: Greene . Jenna . April 17, 2019 . Daily Dicta: At Williams & Connolly, 'The Primordial, Motherly Instinct to Protect and Defend' . Law.com . April 6, 2023.
  27. News: Mauro . Tony . April 28, 2022 . Marble Palace Blog: Celebrated as a Top SCOTUS Advocate, Lisa Blatt Laments 'Appalling Disparity' Among Lawyers Before the Court . Law.com . April 6, 2023.
  28. News: Broady . Gavin . October 28, 2014 . Arnold & Porter's Pugnacious Powerhouse: Lisa Blatt . Law 360 .
  29. Web site: Some Attorneys Are Partners in Life, Partners in Practice . 2023-04-06 . news.bloomberglaw.com . en.
  30. News: In Memoriam: Sidney J. Blatt, PhD . en . Yale School of Medicine . 2023-04-06.

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