Solicitor General Donald Verrilli

Solicitor General Donald Verrilli is a renowned American attorney who served as the 46th Solicitor General of the United States from 2011 to 2016, arguing numerous high-profile cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, including National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius and United States v. Windsor. During his tenure, Verrilli worked closely with Attorney General Eric Holder and President Barack Obama to shape the United States Department of Justice's legal strategy on various issues, such as healthcare reform and LGBT rights. Verrilli's expertise in constitutional law and appellate litigation has been recognized by his peers, including Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Justice Stephen Breyer. His work has also been influenced by notable jurists, including Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. and Justice Louis Brandeis.

● Early Life and Education

Donald Verrilli was born in New York City and grew up in New Jersey, where he attended Rutgers Preparatory School. He then went on to study at Yale University, graduating magna cum laude in 1979, and later earned his Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School in 1983, where he was a member of the Yale Law Journal and studied under prominent professors, including Guido Calabresi and Harold Koh. During his time at Yale, Verrilli was influenced by the work of Justice William Brennan Jr. and Justice Thurgood Marshall, and he developed a strong interest in civil rights law and public interest law. After law school, Verrilli clerked for Judge J. Edward Lumbard of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and later for Justice William Brennan Jr. of the Supreme Court of the United States.

● Career

Before becoming Solicitor General of the United States, Verrilli worked as a partner at the law firm Jenner & Block, where he specialized in appellate litigation and supreme court practice, arguing cases before the Supreme Court of the United States and other federal courts, including the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He also taught constitutional law and appellate advocacy as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center and Harvard Law School, and he has been a member of the American Law Institute and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Verrilli's work has been recognized by his peers, including Attorney General Janet Reno and Solicitor General Seth Waxman, and he has argued cases involving notable organizations, such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

● Tenure

as Solicitor General As Solicitor General of the United States, Verrilli played a crucial role in shaping the United States Department of Justice's legal strategy on various issues, including healthcare reform, LGBT rights, and national security law. He worked closely with Attorney General Eric Holder and President Barack Obama to defend the Affordable Care Act in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius and to argue in favor of same-sex marriage in United States v. Windsor. Verrilli also argued cases involving immigration law, environmental law, and intellectual property law, and he has been recognized for his expertise in administrative law and federal jurisdiction. His work has been influenced by notable jurists, including Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Anthony Kennedy, and he has argued cases involving notable organizations, such as the Chamber of Commerce of the United States and the American Bar Association.

● Notable Cases

Some of Verrilli's most notable cases as Solicitor General of the United States include National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, United States v. Windsor, and King v. Burwell. In National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, Verrilli defended the Affordable Care Act against a challenge to its constitutionality, arguing that the individual mandate was a valid exercise of Congress's power under the Commerce Clause. In United States v. Windsor, Verrilli argued that the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional, as it denied same-sex couples equal protection under the law. Verrilli's arguments in these cases were influenced by the work of Justice Earl Warren and Justice Harry Blackmun, and he has been recognized for his expertise in constitutional law and appellate litigation.

● Post-Solicitor General Career

After leaving the United States Department of Justice in 2016, Verrilli returned to Jenner & Block as a partner, where he continues to specialize in appellate litigation and supreme court practice. He has also taught constitutional law and appellate advocacy as a visiting professor at Yale Law School and Harvard Law School, and he has been a member of the Council of the American Law Institute and the Board of Directors of the National Constitution Center. Verrilli's work has been recognized by his peers, including Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Justice Elena Kagan, and he has argued cases involving notable organizations, such as the American Red Cross and the National Rifle Association. He has also been involved in various pro bono projects, including work with the ACLU and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and he has been recognized for his commitment to public interest law and civil rights law.