Elena Kagan

Elena Kagan is an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Appointed by President Barack Obama in 2010, she succeeded John Paul Stevens and became the fourth woman to serve on the nation's highest court. Her career prior to the Court included significant roles in academia, as the dean of Harvard Law School, and in government, as the Solicitor General of the United States.

Early life and education

Elena Kagan was born in New York City to a family of educators; her mother was a teacher at Hunter College Elementary School and her father was a housing attorney. She attended Hunter College High School, a public school for gifted students in Manhattan. For her undergraduate studies, she enrolled at Princeton University, graduating summa cum laude in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts in history after completing a senior thesis on the New York City socialist movement. She then earned a Master of Philosophy from Worcester College at the University of Oxford as a Princeton University Mellon Fellow. Kagan subsequently attended Harvard Law School, where she served as the supervising editor of the Harvard Law Review and graduated magna cum laude with a Juris Doctor in 1986.

Academic career

Following her graduation from Harvard Law School, Kagan clerked for Judge Abner J. Mikva of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and then for Justice Thurgood Marshall of the Supreme Court of the United States. She began her academic career as a professor at the University of Chicago Law School, where her colleagues included future justices Antonin Scalia and John Roberts. In 1995, she joined the faculty of Harvard Law School, teaching administrative law and constitutional law. In 2003, she was appointed the dean of Harvard Law School, a role in which she was credited with improving faculty relations and overseeing a major expansion of the school's campus, including the construction of the Wasserstein Hall complex.

Government service

Kagan's first major government role was as an associate counsel to President Bill Clinton and later as deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy and deputy director of the Domestic Policy Council from 1995 to 1999. In this capacity, she worked on significant legislative initiatives, including policies related to tobacco and health care reform. In 2009, President Barack Obama nominated her to serve as the Solicitor General of the United States; she was confirmed by the United States Senate and became the first woman to hold the position permanently. As Solicitor General, she argued several high-profile cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, including Citizens United v. FEC.

Supreme Court nomination and confirmation

On May 10, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Kagan to the Supreme Court of the United States to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice John Paul Stevens. Her nomination was praised by many in the legal community, including former Solicitors General from both political parties. During her confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee, she faced questions regarding her lack of prior judicial experience and her political views. The Senate confirmed her by a vote of 63–37 on August 5, 2010, and she received her judicial commission two days later.

Jurisprudence and notable opinions

On the Court, Kagan is generally considered part of its liberal wing, often aligning with Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and later Ketanji Brown Jackson. She is known for her clear, accessible writing style and pragmatic approach to the law. Notable majority opinions she has authored include Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (2015), which upheld the constitutionality of independent redistricting commissions, and Bostock v. Clayton County (2020), where she joined the majority holding that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. She has also written influential dissents, such as in Shelby County v. Holder (2013), criticizing the majority's decision to strike down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Personal life and legacy

Elena Kagan is unmarried and has no children. She is an avid fan of the New York Yankees and is known to enjoy opera and theatre. As a justice, her legacy is marked by her significant impact from a background in academia and the executive branch rather than the judiciary. Her tenure as Solicitor General and dean of Harvard Law School broke barriers for women in the legal profession. Scholars note her skill in building consensus and her focus on the practical consequences of the Court's rulings, ensuring her continued influence on American law. Category:Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States Category:Harvard Law School alumni Category:1960 births Category:Living people