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Above The Law’s 2022 Lawyer Of The Year Contest: The Finalists!

From distinguished to despicable, who should be Above the Law’s Lawyer of the Year for 2022?

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dunce stupid moron stupidity LF RFThe last year was, for better or worse, a big year in legal news. So it should come as no surprise to see big names dominating our list of finalists for 2022 Lawyer of the Year. Thanks to everyone who responded to our request for nominations for 2022 Lawyer of the Year. We narrowed the many excellent nominees to a slate of nine (yes, that’s how eventful this year was) lawyers — distinguished, despicable, or debatable, depending on your point of view.

Here are the nominees, in alphabetical order, with a brief blurb about each:

Samuel Alito: Justice Alito is the author of the opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, the landmark case that destroyed nearly 50 years of precedent in holding that abortion is not a constitutional right. Did Alito leak the opinion ahead of its public release (perhaps to keep other justices from leaving the majority)? He claims he didn’t, and his word alone is apparently good enough for the Supreme Court.

Michael Avenatti: A former winner of this very contest, Avenatti is back again as a finalist for going from Lawyer of the Year to lawyer behind bars. He’s currently serving time for attempting to extort Nike, and stealing from his former client, Stormy Daniels. Because the hits just kept coming for Avenatti in 2022, he was recently sentenced to 14 years in prison for embezzlement and obstruction.

Aileen Cannon: The Southern District of Florida judge who landed the Mar-a-Lago case and made questionable decision after questionable decision, earning herself the nickname Loose Cannon. The Eleventh Circuit stepped in several times to issue benchslaps against her less-than learned rulings.

Cherelle Griner: This recent law school graduate was thrust into an international role when her wife, WNBA star Britney Griner, was detained and imprisoned in Russia. Britney was somehow able to send Cherelle a good luck wish on the upcoming bar exam from a Russian jail cell. Her constant advocacy was absolutely key to the happy ending here, when Britney was brought back to America.

Alina Habba: One of Donald Trump’s lawyers, she’s made many, many, many headlines this year, but not for the best reasons. She filed LOLsuit after LOLsuit and joined Newsmax panels to make statements in defense of her client that were quite questionable, to say the least.

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Ketanji Brown Jackson: Say hello to the first Black woman on the Supreme Court. From her first day on the highest bench in the land, she’s been taking control of oral arguments and trying to guide her colleagues to see the light. She may have to settle for writing dissents due to the current makeup of the Court, but at least she’ll be an inspiration while doing it.

Clarence Thomas: Justice Thomas wrote in his Dobbs concurrence that the justices “should reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell,” putting Americans on high alert that other constitutional rights were on the Supreme Court’s chopping block. Thomas’s legal ethics were also called into question this year, thanks to his refusal to recuse in cases involving his “better” half.

Ginni Thomas: A far-right activist who pushed Big Lie conspiracy theories, this Supreme Court spouse — and law school grad — was called to testify before the January 6 Committee for her involvement in attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Now, the scope of her employment will be considered a state secret thanks to new judicial security rules. Being a justice’s wife certainly has its perks.

Camille Vasquez: Our slate of finalists wouldn’t be complete without the lawyer who captured the nation’s attention as she zealously represented Johnny Depp in court in his defamation case against Amber Heard. She went into the trial as an associate, and she left it with a win under her belt, earning herself the brass ring of Biglaw partnership a short time later.

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: Who should be named Above the Law’s Lawyer of the Year for 2022? Cast your vote below. Polls are open until SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. (EST).

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VOTING HAS ENDED. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Earlier: Above The Law’s 2022 Lawyer Of The Year Contest: Nominations Needed

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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