Undoubtedly one of the top Supreme Court and appellate advocates in the US, former US solicitor General (1997 – 2001) Seth Waxman has nearly 50 oral arguments before the high court under his belt. Currently leading Wilmer Cutler’s appellate practice, he revels in complex cases involving government and public policy issues. Among the cases, the biggest patent case of the decade: eBay Inc. v. MercExchange.
But it’s not just civil and commercial work. Waxman persuaded the high court to overrule its own 1989 precedent in declaring that the execution of juveniles no longer passed constitutional muster-sparing the lives of more than 70 people.
Frequently called upon to testify before Congress on such matters as Supreme Court nominations and habeas corpus reform; legal editor and educator; leader in professional and cultural institutions; vigorous pro bono practice he has already picked up a clutch of honors, scoring “star” rating by Chambers USA and “leading lawyer” ranking in PLC’s Global Counsel Handbook. He also has been ranked among Washingtonian magazine’s “Top 30 Lawyers” and listed for “Bet-the-Company-Litigation” (among other categories) in The Best Lawyers in America.
Supreme Court justice John Paul Stevens once described Waxman, 53 in November, as the most brilliant young lawyer he’d ever heard. Waxman now advises a host of corporate clients in high-profile appellate cases, but he also finds time to advise people like Washington Post reporter Glenn Kessler, who was subpoenaed by a special prosecutor in connection with the leak that revealed the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame. Hire Waxman and you get a lawyer who might sit on the high court one day.
