Kavanaugh’s Nomination Gets Rave Reviews From Legal Scholars

Law Professors and Deans

Georgetown Law Professor Randy Barnett: “Kavanaugh’s appointment would move the Court in the direction of textualism and originalism.”

George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School Adjunct Professor Jamil Jaffer: “Judge Kavanaugh is an inspired pick by the President for this nomination to the Supreme Court.”

Harvard Law School Professor Jack Goldsmith: “Brett Kavanaugh is immensely qualified for the Supreme Court: an outstanding lawyer and judge; a great teacher and serious scholar of the law; and a generous, honorable, kind person.”

Harvard Law School Professor John Manning: “An inspiring teacher and mentor, Judge Kavanaugh has somehow always found extra time for his students, whether to dig deeper into important legal questions or to offer valuable career advice. Let me take this occasion to thank Judge Kavanaugh for the generosity, dedication, and collegiality he has shown our community.”

Harvard Law School Professor Richard Lazarus: “Judge Kavanaugh has been an outstanding member of our teaching faculty. Our students have benefited enormously from his generous devotion of his time, his skills as a jurist, and his legal acumen.”

Hofstra Law Associate Dean and Professor Julian Ku: “My overall take: Kavanaugh has set forth his views on the status of [international] law in US law much more clearly than any sitting SCOTUS justice and most federal judges. He would be a SCOTUS thought leader on these issues if he is confirmed.”

University of Southern California Gould School of Law Professor Orin Kerr:“[Kavanaugh] has been a prominent conservative judge on the D.C. Circuit, and he is well known and well liked among the conservative legal elite. He has also been a thought leader whose views get attention and respect among the current Supreme Court justices.”

Yale Law School Dean Heather Gerken: “I have known Brett Kavanaugh for many years. I can personally attest that, in addition to his government and judicial service, Judge Kavanaugh has been a longtime friend to many of us in the Yale Law School community. Ever since I joined the faculty, I have admired him for serving as a teacher and mentor to our students and for hiring a diverse set of clerks, in all respects, during his time on the court.”

Yale Law School Professor Akhil Reed Amar: “Judge Kavanaugh commands wide and deep respect among scholars, lawyers, judges, and justices. Good appellate judges faithfully follow the Supreme Court; great ones influence and help steer the Court. Several of Kavanaugh’s biggest ideas have found their way into Supreme Court opinions.”

Yale Law School Professor William Eskridge: “Brett Kavanaugh has been one of the most learned judges in America on a variety of issues, ranging from theories of statutory interpretation to separation of powers. We are proud that he is our graduate and eager to continue to learn from his judicial opinions and scholarly publications.”

Yale Law School Professor Abbe Gluck: “… Brett Kavanaugh is a true intellectual–a leading thinker and writer on the subjects of statutory interpretation and federal courts; an incomparable mentor–someone who picks law clerks of all backgrounds and viewpoints; and a fair-minded jurist who believes in the rule of law. He is humble, collegial and cares deeply about the federal courts.”

Yale Law School Professor Kate Stith: “He is a terrific judge. In my federal criminal law class, I love teaching his opinions because they are smart, thoughtful, and clear. He’s also been a wonderful mentor and teacher to our students—not just to those who clerk for him, but those who meet with him during one of his many visits to Yale Law School.”

Judge Kavanaugh’s Former Law Clerks

Marguerite Colson: “Brett Kavanaugh loves being a judge. But even more than being a judge, he loves being a father, friend, and mentor. He takes responsibility for each and every one of his clerks (no matter their ideological stripe), striving for their personal and professional success as if it were his own.”

Gillian Grossman: “My clerkship with Judge Kavanaugh was as much a lesson in graciousness, humility, and compassion as it was in the law. Judge Kavanaugh’s herculean work ethic and extraordinary intellect are matched only by his unimpeachable integrity and his love for his country.”

Zac Hudson: “Judge Kavanaugh is a brilliant person who has a deep and nuanced understanding of the law. He judges each case fairly and independently based on an assessment of the facts and arguments with which he is presented. Policy and politics do not alter his approach to judging. This country would be fortunate to have Brett Kavanaugh as a Supreme Court Justice.”

Saritha Komatireddy: “I considered it a special privilege to train under a man who had such fundamental respect for the law and a complete commitment to getting it right.”

Travis Lenkner: “Judge Kavanaugh is a fair, independent judge for whom fidelity to the Constitution is the guiding light. He has been an incredible mentor to me and to all of his law clerks and students. He is a kind, genuine, down-to-earth person and a devoted husband and father. I know without a doubt that he will be a wonderful Supreme Court Justice.”

Caroline Littleton: “At the end of my clerkship, my parents sent a short note to Judge Kavanaugh, thanking him for having been such a wonderful boss and mentor to me. Their note very easily could have gone without response, but instead Judge Kavanaugh took the time to write a heartfelt note in return, thanking them for how they raised me. To this day (nearly six years later), my parents still cherish that note. This is the kind of person that Judge Kavanaugh is—an extraordinarily thoughtful man, who goes out of his way to be kind.”

Jennifer Mascott: “Judge Kavanaugh has one of the sharpest legal minds in the country. He has been a thought leader on the D.C. Circuit and has served consistently as an independent, fair-minded judge. He is very down-to-earth and kind and I am grateful for his willingness to serve as a mentor to his clerks.”

Roman Martinez: “Ten years ago, I was honored to serve as law clerk to Judge Kavanaugh at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. I saw firsthand his reverence for the Constitution, his integrity, his fairness, and his overriding commitment to do justice in every case, big or small.”

Sarah Pitlyk: “Judge Kavanaugh is an exemplary judge: brilliant, principled, and faithful to the text. He is also a gifted writer who meticulously crafts every opinion. His excellence and dedication have earned him the admiration of colleagues across the political spectrum. It is hard to imagine anyone better suited to serve on the Supreme Court.”

Richard Re: “Judge Kavanaugh is a master of the legal craft. His opinions are scholarly, influential, and unyieldingly reasoned. He has already left an important mark on the law, and, if confirmed, he would continue to be a fair-minded voice on the bench.”

Hagan Scotten: “Judge Kavanaugh is a great judge who will make a great Justice. I learned a ton from Judge Kavanaugh even before I clerked for him, when I took a class he taught at my law school. He taught with the knowledge and clarity of the best professors. And his dedication to his students was legendary.”

Indraneel Sur: “Since his first day at the D.C. Circuit, Judge Kavanaugh has stood ready to invest whatever amount of energy is necessary to get the reasoning and the result right in every case … Of course, he would bring that same tireless dedication to the rule of law to the Supreme Court where he confirmed.”

Rebecca Taibleson: “Judge Kavanaugh is a brilliant judge, and he has the disposition to match. He is even-handed, kind, and honest with everyone—colleagues, litigants, and staff alike.”

Caroline Van Zile: “Judge Kavanaugh is incredibly qualified to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court. Beyond that, he is a good, kind and fair-minded person. Americans should be proud to have someone with his independence, integrity and character on the bench.”

Justin Walker: “Anyone who knows Judge Brett Kavanaugh knows he reveres the Constitution. For 12 years on the second most important court in the country, Judge Kavanaugh has applied the Constitution as it is written. He knows that judging means going where text and precedent lead you, in a fair-minded, evenhanded manner … That passion for our constitutional structure is among the reasons he’s the smartest lawyer I’ve ever met and the best teacher I’ve ever had.”

Katie Wellington: “The year I clerked for Judge Kavanaugh, he had hired four female law clerks—a first for any Judge on the D.C. Circuit. Today, he is a mentor to each of us as we pursue careers in public service, private practice, and academia.”

Candice Wong: “Judge Kavanaugh taught us, his clerks, to be meticulous; he showed us that by thinking more rigorously and working more ferociously than any of us. But he also showed us the importance of hearing out all sides of an issue, being gracious to all parties, and making time for family and friends (and maybe some marathon training) outside of work.”

Shared from Whitehouse.gov

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