Patricia Millett
Encyclopedia
Patricia Ann Millett is a Washington, D.C.
attorney who has argued more cases before the United States Supreme Court
than all but one other woman in private legal practice today. She currently co-heads the Supreme Court practice at the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
. Millett also is a longtime former assistant to the United States Solicitor General
and currently is an occasional blogger for SCOTUSblog
.
summa cum laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
in 1985. She then earned a law degree magna cum laude from Harvard Law School
in 1988.
on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
.
From 1992 until 1996, Millett worked for four years for the United States Department of Justice
Civil Division's appellate staff, briefing and arguing more than 20 cases before federal appeals courts and occasionally state appeals courts.
In August 1996, Millett became an assistant to the United States Solicitor General
, a position she held until September 2007. During that time, Millett argued 25 cases before the United States Supreme Court
and briefed more than 50 cases.
In 2007, Millett joined the Washington, D.C. law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
, co-chairing the firm's Supreme Court practice along with Tom Goldstein
.
In October 2007, Millett began blogging at SCOTUSblog
, which is funded by Akin Gump.
reported that Millett was one of five Virginia
residents recommended by the voluntary Virginia Bar Association
lawyer organization to serve as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
, along with Virginia state senator John S. Edwards, Virginia Supreme Court
Justice Barbara Milano Keenan
, University of Virginia School of Law
professor James Ryan and former Virginia Supreme Court
Justice John Thomas. At that time, the Fourth Circuit had four judicial vacancies, one of which was a seat generally thought to belong to Virginia, and all five candidates were among a larger group of individuals who had proactively submitted their information to the VBA and ostensibly hoped to be considered for a nomination to the Fourth Circuit by President Barack Obama
.
On February 26, 2009, the Virginia State Bar
separately deemed Millett to be "highly qualified" for the vacancy, along with Edwards, Keenan, and attorney Richard A. Simpson.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
attorney who has argued more cases before the United States Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
than all but one other woman in private legal practice today. She currently co-heads the Supreme Court practice at the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a law firm founded in Dallas, Texas, in 1945 by Robert Strauss and Richard Gump. The firm now numbers more than 800 attorneys and advisers in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia...
. Millett also is a longtime former assistant to the United States Solicitor General
United States Solicitor General
The United States Solicitor General is the person appointed to represent the federal government of the United States before the Supreme Court of the United States. The current Solicitor General, Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 6, 2011 and sworn in on June...
and currently is an occasional blogger for SCOTUSblog
SCOTUSblog
SCOTUSblog is a law blog written by lawyers and law students about the Supreme Court of the United States . The blog is sponsored by Bloomberg Law. The blog's first post occurred October 1, 2002. The blog moved to its current address on February 7, 2005. In the same year, it was featured by...
.
Early life and education
Millett earned a bachelor's degree in political sciencePolitical science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
summa cum laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
in 1985. She then earned a law degree magna cum laude from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1988.
Professional career
Millett began her legal career by working from 1988 until 1990 in the litigation department of the Washington, D.C. law firm Miller & Chevalier. She then worked from 1990 until 1992 as a law clerk for United States Circuit Judge Thomas TangThomas Tang
Thomas Tang was a federal judge in the United States and the first Chinese American appointed to the federal judiciary....
on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
.
From 1992 until 1996, Millett worked for four years for the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
Civil Division's appellate staff, briefing and arguing more than 20 cases before federal appeals courts and occasionally state appeals courts.
In August 1996, Millett became an assistant to the United States Solicitor General
United States Solicitor General
The United States Solicitor General is the person appointed to represent the federal government of the United States before the Supreme Court of the United States. The current Solicitor General, Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 6, 2011 and sworn in on June...
, a position she held until September 2007. During that time, Millett argued 25 cases before the United States Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
and briefed more than 50 cases.
In 2007, Millett joined the Washington, D.C. law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a law firm founded in Dallas, Texas, in 1945 by Robert Strauss and Richard Gump. The firm now numbers more than 800 attorneys and advisers in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia...
, co-chairing the firm's Supreme Court practice along with Tom Goldstein
Tom Goldstein
Thomas C. Goldstein is an American attorney famous as an advocate before and blogger about the Supreme Court of the United States. He was a founding partner of Goldstein and Howe, a Washington, D.C. firm specializing in Supreme Court litigation, and was, until the end of 2010, a partner at Akin...
.
In October 2007, Millett began blogging at SCOTUSblog
SCOTUSblog
SCOTUSblog is a law blog written by lawyers and law students about the Supreme Court of the United States . The blog is sponsored by Bloomberg Law. The blog's first post occurred October 1, 2002. The blog moved to its current address on February 7, 2005. In the same year, it was featured by...
, which is funded by Akin Gump.
Possible future federal judicial service
In February 2009, Legal TimesLegal Times
Legal Times is a weekly legal newspaper based in Washington, D.C. It is owned by ALM....
reported that Millett was one of five Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
residents recommended by the voluntary Virginia Bar Association
Virginia Bar Association
The Virginia Bar Association is a voluntary organization of lawyers in Virginia, with offices in Richmond, Virginia.- VBA Mission : is the independent voice of the Virginia lawyer, advancing the highest ideals of the profession through advocacy and volunteer service.- History :The VBA, , was...
lawyer organization to serve as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is a federal court located in Richmond, Virginia, with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:*District of Maryland*Eastern District of North Carolina...
, along with Virginia state senator John S. Edwards, Virginia Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Virginia
The Supreme Court of Virginia is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It primarily hears appeals from the trial-level city and county Circuit Courts, as well as the criminal law, family law and administrative law cases that go through the Court of Appeals of Virginia. It is one of...
Justice Barbara Milano Keenan
Barbara Milano Keenan
Barbara Milano Keenan is a judge on United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and a former justice on the Supreme Court of Virginia.- Early life and education :...
, University of Virginia School of Law
University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program...
professor James Ryan and former Virginia Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Virginia
The Supreme Court of Virginia is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It primarily hears appeals from the trial-level city and county Circuit Courts, as well as the criminal law, family law and administrative law cases that go through the Court of Appeals of Virginia. It is one of...
Justice John Thomas. At that time, the Fourth Circuit had four judicial vacancies, one of which was a seat generally thought to belong to Virginia, and all five candidates were among a larger group of individuals who had proactively submitted their information to the VBA and ostensibly hoped to be considered for a nomination to the Fourth Circuit by President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
On February 26, 2009, the Virginia State Bar
Virginia State Bar
Created in 1938, The Virginia State Bar is the administrative agency of the Supreme Court of Virginia whose purpose is to regulate, improve and advance the legal profession in Virginia. The Bar was established by an act of the Virginia General Assembly and is delegated the power to issue...
separately deemed Millett to be "highly qualified" for the vacancy, along with Edwards, Keenan, and attorney Richard A. Simpson.