Our six nominees for 2014 Lawyer of the Year honors were a distinguished and diverse group. They included a Supreme Court justice, a governor, a famous human rights lawyer, and some of Biglaw’s brightest stars. They also included a husband-and-wife — both lawyers — accused of awful acts, and a Harvard professor with a penchant for threatening others with frivolous lawsuits. We cover it all at Above the Law.
Our prior winners have come from the savory rather than salacious side of the ledger. Here are ATL’s past Lawyers of the Year:
- 2007: Loyola 2L
- 2008: President Barack Obama
- 2009: Justice Sonia Sotomayor
- 2010: Law School Transparency’s Kyle McEntee and Patrick Lynch
- 2011: Professor Paul Campos
- 2012: Chief Justice John Roberts
- 2013: Roberta Kaplan
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For 2014, who will join their distinguished ranks? Let’s find out.
This year’s competition was a huge blowout; our victor took home almost half the vote. Congratulations to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, our 2014 Lawyer of the Year!
Legal professionals are well aware that 2014 was essentially the Year of Ruth, so it’s incredibly fitting that she took home Above the Law’s greatest accolade as Lawyer of the Year. In truth, she was already everyone’s favorite justice, and she sure knew how to please her fans over the course of 2014. Not only did she admit that she loves being called Notorious R.B.G., but she owns “quite a large supply” of Notorious R.B.G t-shirts. This year, we learned firsthand that Justice Ginsburg truly cares about her fans — after all, she personally responded to my wedding invitation.
For all of the fanfare, we can’t forget about the historic dissents this liberal lioness has written over the course of her career. In 2014, what was perhaps one of the most scathing of the judicial diva’s dissents was laid out in the Hobby Lobby case where she took a stand for women’s rights. For those without the time to read her blistering words, the text of that dissent can best be described with this satirical image:
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No matter when the Notorious R.B.G. retires, one thing is certain: there will never be another justice like her. Congratulations again to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and many thanks to her for her tireless work on behalf of the women of America.
Earlier: Above the Law’s 2014 Lawyer of the Year Contest: The Finalists!
Above The Law’s 2014 Lawyer Of The Year Contest: Nominations Needed