Lisa Blatt

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Lisa Blatt
Born
Lisa Carol Schiavo

1964 or 1965 (age 58–59)
San Angelo, Texas, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Texas at Austin (BA, JD)
Spouse
David Blatt
​
(m. 1995)​
Blatt's voice
Blatt's opening statement to the Supreme Court in Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith
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.

Early life and career[edit]

Blatt was born Lisa Carol Schiavo in San Angelo, Texas[4] 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.[5]

Blatt was inspired by Thurgood Marshall to pursue a career in law and began speech and debate in seventh grade.[6] She attended the University of Texas at Austin for college and law school, graduating summa cum laude both times.[7][8] After law school, she clerked for then-Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.[7] In 1990, Blatt joined the Washington, D.C. law firm Williams & Connolly.[9] In 1993, she moved to the General Counsel's Office at the Department of Energy.[10] In 1996, she became an Assistant to the U.S. Solicitor General.[8] She worked in the Office of the Solicitor General until 2009, when she joined Arnold & Porter.[8] She returned to Williams & Connolly in 2019 as chair of the Supreme Court and Appellate Practice.[11][12] Blatt is also an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University, teaching classes on constitutional law and the separation of powers.[13][14] She was previously a visiting professor at Yale University.[15]

Political positions[edit]

Blatt is a pro-choice Democrat.[16] She supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.[17] 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.”[16] Blatt introduced Kavanaugh at his Senate confirmation hearing alongside former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Ohio Senator Rob Portman.[17] Maine Senator Susan Collins cited Blatt's remarks in announcing her vote to confirm Kavanaugh.[18] Blatt's support for Kavanaugh led progressive activists to lobby President-elect Joe Biden to not nominate Blatt as U.S. Solicitor General.[19]

Blatt has criticized the Senate's failure to confirm then-Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court.[17]

Blatt is a self-identified liberal feminist.[16] She has described the legal profession as “overrun with men” whom she has criticized as “obviously clueless that they have no talent.”[20] 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.”[21] 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).[22][23][24] American Lawyer has called this all-female practice “an anomaly among its peers.”[25] 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.[26]

Personal life[edit]

Blatt is married to David Blatt, a fellow partner at Williams & Connolly who specializes in commercial litigation.[27] Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg officiated their wedding in 1995.[7] Blatt's father-in-law, Sidney Blatt, was a noted psychologist at Yale University.[28] Blatt has two children, Daniel and Rachel, who both attend Stanford Law School.[6] She also has a goldendoodle, Jackson.[3] She is Jewish.[6] She enjoys dancing[29] and cowboy boots.[6]

Publications[edit]

  • 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[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Lisa Schiavo, David Blatt". New York Times. 22 October 1995. Retrieved 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. ^ a b 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.
  4. ^ Tony Mauro (3 August 2020). "Record-Breaking SCOTUS Advocate Lisa Blatt Talks Texas" (PDF). The Texas Lawbook. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Best Adversaries". Texas Law News. University of Texas School of Law. 31 August 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d David Lat (14 December 2022). "SCOTUS Bar Superstar: An Interview With Lisa Blatt". Original Jurisdiction. Substack. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "WEDDINGS; Lisa Schiavo, David Blatt". The New York Times. 1995-10-22. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  8. ^ a b c Castro, Melissa (November 16, 2009). "Arnold & Porter names Lisa Blatt to head appellate practice". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  9. ^ "Reflections of a Lady Lawyer". Texas Law Review. 2020-02-04. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  10. ^ "Daily Dicta: Why Supreme Court Star Lisa Blatt Left Arnold & Porter for Williams & Connolly". Litigation Daily | The American Lawyer. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  11. ^ "Supreme Court and Appellate Partner Lisa Blatt Rejoins Williams & Connolly". Williams & Connolly. 2019. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  12. ^ Hoover, Jimmy (January 28, 2019). "High Court Veteran Returns 'Home' To Williams & Connolly". Law 360. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  13. ^ "Lisa S. Blatt". Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  14. ^ "Lisa S. Blatt". Stanford Law School.
  15. ^ Slifka Center. “The Supreme Court Today – An Insider’s Perspective.” Facebook. May 20, 2020. Retrieved Apr. 6, 2023.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ "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.
  19. ^ Meyer, Theodoric (4 December 2020). "Progressive judicial group to Biden: Pick a Black woman for solicitor general". POLITICO. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ "Historically diverse Supreme Court hears disproportionately from White lawyers". Washington Post. 2022-10-30. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  22. ^ "Lisa S. Blatt." Oyez, www.oyez.org/advocates/lisa_s_blatt. Accessed 6 Apr. 2023.
  23. ^ "Sarah M. Harris." Oyez, www.oyez.org/advocates/sarah_m_harris. Accessed 6 Apr. 2023.
  24. ^ "Amy M. Saharia." Oyez, www.oyez.org/advocates/amy_m_saharia. Accessed 7 Apr. 2023.
  25. ^ Greene, Jenna (April 17, 2019). "Daily Dicta: At Williams & Connolly, 'The Primordial, Motherly Instinct to Protect and Defend'". Law.com. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  26. ^ 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.
  27. ^ "Some Attorneys Are Partners in Life, Partners in Practice". news.bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  28. ^ "In Memoriam: Sidney J. Blatt, PhD". Yale School of Medicine. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  29. ^ Kaiser, Matt (2017-11-09). "D.C. Lawyer Prom - Above the LawAbove the Law". Retrieved 2023-04-06.

External links[edit]

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