It’s interesting how many big law firms have started or bolstered their appellate and Supreme Court practices recently by hiring a former Assistant to the SG or otherwise added an experienced Supreme Court practitioner to the roster. The BLT notes the latest such example, Douglas Hallward-Driemeier at Ropes & Gray, and mentions a few more, like Lisa Blatt at Arnold & Porter, Deanne Maynard at Morrison & Foerster, and former SG Greg Garre at Latham & Watkins. I would add to that list the VC’s own John Elwood at Vinson & Elkins and Ted Cruz at Morgan Lewis, and I’m sure there are several more.
UPDATE: In the comment thread, Stephanos Bibas brings up another good example, Steve Kinnaird at Paul Hastings. VCme brings up Kannon Shanmugam at Williams & Connolly and both Patricia Millet and Tom Goldstein at Akin Gump, as well. (Okay, now I’m just worried that the people I haven‘t mentioned are going to feel left out….)
ANOTHER UPDATE: Tom Goldstein’s terrific 2006 post, The Expansion of the “Supreme Court Bar”, is worth re-reading on these issues.