A Visit to the Supreme Court

Here is a guest post by Maureen Howard: We all know how brilliant our own Professor Eric Schnapper is and realize that among his many, many accomplishments are two USSC "wins" this Term, but I write to report that you haven’t lived until you’ve see him stand and argue before the Court in person. I was fortunate to enjoy this honor yesterday when he argued Borough of Duryea v. Guarnieri, dealing with the protections afforded a government employee under the Petition Clause of the First Amendment. Professor Schnapper’s argument was clear and compelling, and he masterfully fielded questions from the justices. As a teacher of advocacy, I was mightily impressed. As a colleague, I was so very proud. It was also a memorable day in the Court because prior to argument, Justice Breyer read a summary of the Kasten decision handed down [March 22], which was the second of Professor Schnapper’s "wins" of the term. Joining Professor Schnapper at respondent’s counsel table sat the lawyer who had (unsuccessfully) argued the other side of the Kasten case, an alliance I am sure was not lost on the justices. A personal memorable moment for me occurred just prior to argument when Professor Schnapper moved from the floor for my admission to the Court. Chief Justice Roberts granted the motion, welcomed me to the Court, and directed the clerk to administer the oath. Photos: Eric Schnapper from University of Washington School of Law; Supreme Court bench from United States Supreme Court.