Lisa Blatt | |
---|---|
Born | Lisa Carol Schiavo 1964 or 1965 (age 58–59) San Angelo, Texas, U.S. |
Education | University of Texas at Austin (BA, JD) |
Spouse |
David Blatt (m. 1995) |
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.
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]
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]
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."[27]
Blatt is married to David Blatt, a fellow partner at Williams & Connolly who specializes in commercial litigation.[28] Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg officiated their wedding in 1995.[7] Blatt's father-in-law, Sidney Blatt, was a noted psychologist at Yale University.[29] Lisa and David Blatt have two children, Daniel and Rachel, who both have attended Stanford Law School.[6] She is Jewish.[6]