The Federalist Society

Thomas C. Goldstein

Partner, Goldstein & Russell PC

Thomas C. Goldstein has argued 25 cases before the Supreme Court, including matters involving federal patent law, class action practice, labor and employment, and disability law. In addition to practicing law, Tom teaches Supreme Court Litigation at both Stanford and Harvard Law Schools.

In the Supreme Court and elsewhere, Mr. Goldstein litigates and advises clients in a broad range of issues. For example, he regularly litigates and lectures on questions of federal patent law. Mr. Goldstein frequently advises clients, litigates, and consults on legislative matters relating to the First Amendment. And he regularly represents parties in questions relating to the game of poker, including its lawfulness as a matter of federal and state law.

In addition to practicing law, Tom founded, and is the publisher of, SCOTUSblog, which in 2010 became the only weblog ever to receive the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel Award for fostering the American public’s understanding of law and the legal system.

Tom has been repeatedly recognized as a leading member of the bar. In 2010, The National Law Journal named him one of the 40 most influential lawyers of the decade; Tom notably was ten years younger than any other law firm partner listed. Legal Times named him one of the “90 Greatest Washington Lawyers of the Last 30 Years” and praised him for “transforming the practice” of law before the Supreme Court. He is also included in the National Law Journal’s current list of the nation’s 100 most influential lawyers. He has been repeatedly recognized as one of the nation’s top appellate advocates. GQ Magazine named him one of the 50 most powerful people in Washington, D.C.

Tom is an elected Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. He is involved with a number of professional organizations. He serves as the vice chair of the Amicus Committee of the ABA’s Intellectual Property Section and previously served for two years on the ABA’s Standing Committee on Amicus Curiae Briefs. In those capacities, he has authored several Supreme Court amicus briefs for the ABA. In addition, Tom serves on the boards of advisors of the Washington Legal Foundation and the Georgetown University Supreme Court Institute.

Before founding Goldstein & Howe in 1999, Tom practiced law at Boies & Schiller, LLP and at Jones Day Reavis & Pogue. Tom left the firm he founded in 2006 to create the Supreme Court Practice at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, where he also was a partner and principal co-chair of the firmwide litigation practice. He returned to what is now Goldstein & Russell in 2011.

Tom clerked for the Honorable Patricia M. Wald of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.


Education

  • J.D., American University, Washington College of Law, summa cum laude, 1995
  • A.B., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1992

Publications

Supreme Court Preview: What Is in Store for October Term 2012? - Event Audio/Video
Co-sponsored by the Practice Groups, the Washington DC Lawyers Chapter, and the Faculty Division
September 27, 2012
United States Supreme Court: Nomination and Confirmation Process - Podcast
Federalism & Separation of Powers Practice Group
May 7, 2010
SCOTUScast 7-22-09 featuring Tom Goldstein
Corley v. United States and Kansas v. Ventris
July 22, 2009

Debates

SCOTUS term
July 26, 2007

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