Lisa Blatt
Recorded October 12, 2022
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.[1] 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.[8] 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.[9] She worked in the Office of the Solicitor General until 2009, when she joined Arnold & Porter.[9] 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.”[17] Blatt introduced Kavanaugh at his Senate confirmation hearing alongside former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Ohio Senator Rob Portman.[18] 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.[18]
Blatt is a self-identified liberal feminist.[17] 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.[2] 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.[8] 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.[7] She is Jewish.[7]
Publications
- Lisa S. Blatt, In Front of the Burgundy Curtain, 14 Green Bag 2d (2010)
- Lisa Blatt, I’m a Liberal Feminist Lawyer. Here’s Why Democrats Should Support Judge Kavanaugh, Politico (Aug. 2, 2018)
- Lisa Blatt, Reflections of a Lady Lawyer, Women & the Law 59 (2020)
References
- ^ a b "Lisa Schiavo, David Blatt". New York Times. 22 October 1995. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Lisa S. Blatt." Oyez, www.oyez.org/advocates/lisa_s_blatt. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024. Plus Snyder v. United States, argued 15/4/2024.
- ^ Sanchez, Brandon (21 May 2020). "She Has Argued 40 Cases in Front of the Supreme Court. The Latest Was From Her Dining Room". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ "Why SCOTUS Star Lisa Blatt Left Arnold & Porter for Williams & Connolly". Law.com. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ Tony Mauro (3 August 2020). "Record-Breaking SCOTUS Advocate Lisa Blatt Talks Texas" (PDF). The Texas Lawbook. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ "Best Adversaries". Texas Law News. University of Texas School of Law. 31 August 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ a b c David Lat (14 December 2022). "SCOTUS Bar Superstar: An Interview With Lisa Blatt". Original Jurisdiction. Substack. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ a b c "WEDDINGS; Lisa Schiavo, David Blatt". The New York Times. 1995-10-22. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ a b c Castro, Melissa (November 16, 2009). "Arnold & Porter names Lisa Blatt to head appellate practice". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ "Reflections of a Lady Lawyer". Texas Law Review. 2020-02-04. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ "Daily Dicta: Why Supreme Court Star Lisa Blatt Left Arnold & Porter for Williams & Connolly". Litigation Daily | The American Lawyer. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ "Supreme Court and Appellate Partner Lisa Blatt Rejoins Williams & Connolly". Williams & Connolly. 2019. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ Hoover, Jimmy (January 28, 2019). "High Court Veteran Returns 'Home' To Williams & Connolly". Law 360. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ "Lisa S. Blatt". Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ "Lisa S. Blatt". Stanford Law School.
- ^ Slifka Center. “The Supreme Court Today – An Insider’s Perspective.” Facebook. May 20, 2020. Retrieved Apr. 6, 2023.
- ^ a b c Blatt, Lisa (2 August 2018). "I'm a Liberal Feminist Lawyer. Here's Why Democrats Should Support Judge Kavanaugh". POLITICO Magazine. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ a b c Confirmation Hearing on the Nomination of Hon. Brett M. Kavanaugh: Hearing Before the S. Comm. on the Judiciary. S. Hrg. No. 115-545. Sept. 4, 2018.
- ^ "Senator Collins Announces She Will Vote to Confirm Judge Kavanaugh | U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine". www.collins.senate.gov. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ Meyer, Theodoric (4 December 2020). "Progressive judicial group to Biden: Pick a Black woman for solicitor general". POLITICO. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ Blatt, Lisa (2010). "In Front of the Burgundy Curtain: The Top Ten Lessons I've Learned About Advocacy Before the Nation's Highest Court" (PDF). The Green Bag.
- ^ "Historically diverse Supreme Court hears disproportionately from White lawyers". Washington Post. 2022-10-30. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ "Lisa S. Blatt." Oyez, www.oyez.org/advocates/lisa_s_blatt. Accessed 6 Apr. 2023.
- ^ "Sarah M. Harris." Oyez, www.oyez.org/advocates/sarah_m_harris. Accessed 6 Apr. 2023.
- ^ "Amy M. Saharia." Oyez, www.oyez.org/advocates/amy_m_saharia. Accessed 7 Apr. 2023.
- ^ Greene, Jenna (April 17, 2019). "Daily Dicta: At Williams & Connolly, 'The Primordial, Motherly Instinct to Protect and Defend'". Law.com. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
- ^ 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. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
- ^ Broady, Gavin (October 28, 2014). "Arnold & Porter's Pugnacious Powerhouse: Lisa Blatt". Law 360.
- ^ "Some Attorneys Are Partners in Life, Partners in Practice". news.bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ "In Memoriam: Sidney J. Blatt, PhD". Yale School of Medicine. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
External links
- Lisa Blatt's biography at the Williams & Connolly website
- Appearances at the U.S. Supreme Court from the Oyez Project
- Appearances on C-SPAN