TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Nov 14, 2024

Former U.S. Solicitor General and longtime Gibson Dunn partner Ted Olson died yesterday at the age of 84. Olson served under two Republican presidents, arguing 65 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. He was an assistant attorney general during President Ronald Reagan’s first term and solicitor general for President George W. Bush. He was named to the post after being central to Bush’s win in the 2000 Florida presidential election recount dispute. In private practice, Olson prevailed in several key court decisions, including challenging limits on political giving, challenging the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and challenging a California state ban on same-sex marriage. Speaking of that case, Olson later said it was the most important thing he had done “as an attorney or a person.” The Associated Press has more on his life and career.