Lisa Blatt, who has argued more cases before the Supreme Court than any other woman in active practice, has left the solicitor general's office. "After 13 years in the office, I was ready to do something else," says Blatt, who was the most senior assistant to the SG in the office until her departure May 1.
Blatt argued 28 cases before the Court, two more than Patricia Millett of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld who left the SG's office in 2007. With a confident, direct style, Blatt is also one of the winningest advocates before the high court, prevailing in 25 of the 26 cases that have been decided. (Two are still pending.)
"I'm leaving on a really happy note," says Blatt, 44. "The office is in great hands. I absolutely worship Elena," a reference to the new solicitor general Elena Kagan. Blatt also said she valued working with other "first rate" SGs including Theodore Olson, Paul Clement, and Seth Waxman.
Blatt says that after taking time off with her family, she'll be looking for a job, possibly but not necessarily in the community of Supreme Court advocates.
Her former colleagues -- and possibly future competitors -- offered high praise for Blatt. "Lisa is one of the finest lawyers of her generation, and one of the
finest people you'll ever meet," says one, Kannon Shanmugam who left the office in 2008 for a partnership at Williams & Connolly. "It's a big loss for the SG's Office,
but she'll be successful in whatever she does next."
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