Famous American Lawyers & Judges

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 1 
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
(Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (1993 - 2020))
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
19
Birthdate: March 15, 1933
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: September 18, 2020

The first Jewish woman to serve on the US Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. An advocate for gender equality and women's rights, she spent the majority of her legal career championing these causes. She remained professionally active until her death in 2020.

 2 
Thurgood Marshall
(Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (1967 - 1991))
Thurgood Marshall
10
Birthdate: July 2, 1908
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Died: January 24, 1993

The first African-American member of the US Supreme Court, Thurgood Marshall was an associate justice from 1967 to 1991. Earlier as an attorney, he fought for the abolishment of racial segregation in American public schools. He was also a strong proponent of individual rights. A symbol of black icon, there are numerous memorials in America to honour his legacy.

 3 
Ron DeSantis
(46th Governor of Florida )
Ron DeSantis
6
Birthdate: September 14, 1978
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Jacksonville, Florida, United States

The current governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis became the youngest incumbent governor of a US state at the age of 42. Also an attorney and naval officer, Ron DeSantis was honored with the Bronze Star Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for his military service.

 4 
Abraham Lincoln
(16th President of the United States (1861-1865))
Abraham Lincoln
1
Birthdate: February 12, 1809
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Larue County, Kentucky, United States
Died: April 15, 1865

A self-educated lawyer, Abraham Lincoln rose from modest background to become one of the greatest presidents of America. The 16th president of the country, who is also known as Honest Abe and the Great Emancipator, played a crucial role in establishing a truly democratic government, abolished slavery, modernised economy and led the country during the American Civil War.

 5 
Rudy Giuliani
(Former Mayor of New York City)
Rudy Giuliani
14
Birthdate: May 28, 1944
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: East Flatbush, New York, United States

American politician Rudy Giuliani, who served as the Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001, received major attention and praise for his handling of crisis in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in his city. He was named Time magazine’s Person of the Year in December 2001 for his efforts. However, there have also been allegations of corruption against him.

 6 
Johnnie Cochran
(American Lawyer and Civil Activist Best Known for Defending and Acquitting 'O. J. Simpson')
Johnnie Cochran
8
Birthdate: October 2, 1937
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
Died: March 29, 2005
Johnnie Cochran was an American civil activist and lawyer. Cochran played an important role in the acquittal of former football player O. J. Simpson in connection with the murder of the latter's ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson. Cochran had also represented other celebrities like Michael Jackson, Sean Combs, Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Riddick Bowe, and Jim Brown to name a few.
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 7 
Ronan Farrow
(Journalist, Lawyer and Human Rights Activist)
Ronan Farrow
6
Birthdate: December 19, 1987
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

American journalist Ronan Farrow played a major role in reporting the sexual abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein. His work, which was published in The New Yorker, earned the magazine the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. He is also responsible for exposing allegations against personalities like jurist Brett Kavanaugh, media executive Les Moonves, and politician Eric Schneiderman.

 8 
William Howard Taft
(27th President of the United States)
William Howard Taft
4
Birthdate: September 15, 1857
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Died: March 8, 1930

The 27th president of the United States, William Howard Taft also served as the tenth Chief Justice of the US; he is the only person in the history of the US to have held both the offices. He had a great impact as chief justice and has been regarded as the greatest US chief justices of all time.

 9 
Marcia Clark
(American Author and Lead Prosecutor in the O. J. Simpson Murder Trial)
Marcia Clark
7
Birthdate: August 31, 1953
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Alameda, California, United States

Marcia Clark is best known as the lead prosecutor of the O.J. Simpson murder trial. She has also written several books, including novels from the Rachel Knight series and the Samantha Brinkman series and a non-fiction about the Simpson case. She has also written crime articles for The Daily Beast.

 10 
Antonin Scalia
(Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (1986 - 2016))
Antonin Scalia
7
Birthdate: March 11, 1936
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Trenton, New Jersey, United States
Died: February 13, 2016

Scalia played an important role as an associate justice of the US Supreme Court for 30 years. Not only was he regarded as one of the most important justices in the history of the court, but he was also considered one of the most influential jurists of the 20th century. He was posthumously honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

 11 
Marco Rubio
(United States Senator from Florida)
Marco Rubio
4
Birthdate: May 28, 1971
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Miami, Florida, United States

Florida senator Marco Rubio also chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Small Business Committee. He was chosen to state the Republican response to Barack Obama's 2013 State of the Union Address. He has immense support from the Republican Tea Party activists and caters mostly to Latin American voters.

 12 
Jeanine Pirro
(American Conservative Television Host and A Former New York State Judge)
Jeanine Pirro
8
Birthdate: June 2, 1951
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Elmira, New York, United States

Jeanine Pirro is an American TV host and author. Over the years, she has made important contributions to The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet, a syndicated morning talk show. As a former prosecutor and New York State judge, Jeanine Pirro played an important role in several cases involving crimes against the elderly and domestic abuse.

 13 
Sonia Sotomayor
(Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States )
Sonia Sotomayor
15
Birthdate: June 5, 1954
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States

Sonia Sotomayor, the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of America, entered the record books when in August 2009 she became the first Hispanic and the fourth woman to be appointed to the court. She’s a strong defendant of the rights of accused and has raised her voice against misdemeanors by the police and the prosecutors, and abuses in prisons.

 14 
Neil Gorsuch
(Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)
Neil Gorsuch
9
Birthdate: August 29, 1967
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Denver, Colorado, United States
The Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch earlier served as the Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and was also in private practice. He is an adherent of originalism in constitutional interpretation and textualism in statutory interpretation. His landmark judgements include upholding the LGBTQ rights and favouring the Yakama Nation.
 15 
John Roberts
(17th Chief Justice of the United States)
John Roberts
4
Birthdate: January 27, 1955
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Buffalo, New York, United States

The current chief White House correspondent for the Fox News Channel, John Roberts has, in his journalistic career, worked for various television and radio channels before joining CTV, CBS News and CNN. The notable works of the veteran award winning journalist and Canadian Broadcast Hall of Famer include coverage of Presidential debates, Hurricane Irene, Iraq invasion and the Israel war.

 16 
Sandra Day O’Connor
(The First Female Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)
Sandra Day O’Connor
4
Birthdate: March 26, 1930
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: El Paso, Texas, United States
Died: December 1, 2023

Sandra Day O’Connor is a retired attorney who became the first woman to serve as the associate justice of the Supreme Court of the US when she took office in 1981. While serving as the associate justice, O’Connor was considered one of the most powerful women in the world. In 2009, she was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom

 17 
Douglas Emhoff
(Lawyer, Husband of Kamala Harris)
Douglas Emhoff
8
Birthdate: 1964 AD
Birthplace: New York
A litigator and strategic advisor, Douglas Emhoff has years of experience behind him and is currently a partner at the prominent DLA Piper Law Firm with specialty in entertainment and intellectual property law. Husband of 2020 US vice presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, he is highly supportive of his wife’s political career.
 18 
Martin D. Ginsburg
(Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Husband)
Martin D. Ginsburg
6
Birthdate: June 10, 1932
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York City
Died: June 27, 2010

Martin D. Ginsburg was one of the most successful tax attorneys and the husband of U.S Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Apart from serving as a lawyer, Martin also taught at several prestigious law schools, such as New York University Law School, Columbia Law School, and Harvard Law School. After representing business magnate Ross Perot in a case, the two became good friends.

 19 
Christopher Darden
5
Birthdate: April 7, 1956
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Martinez, California, United States

Christopher Darden is a man who dons many hats. He is a lawyer, author, actor, and lecturer with 15 years of experience in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office. He was a co-prosecutor in the O. J. Simpson murder case. He resigned after the case and started teaching criminal procedure and trial advocacy to university students.

 20 
Chester A. Arthur
(The 21st president of the United States)
Chester A. Arthur
4
Birthdate: October 5, 1829
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Fairfield, Vermont, United States
Died: November 18, 1886
Chester A. Arthur became the 21st president of the U.S. in 1881, after the assassination of President James A. Garfield, and served till 1885. Arthur represented Elizabeth Jennings Graham in the 1854 case against segregation in streetcars. He signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act and rebuilt the U.S. Navy.
 21 
Stephen Breyer
(Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1994 to 2022)
Stephen Breyer
6
Birthdate: August 15, 1938
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States

Stephen Breyer is an American lawyer, legal scholar, and jurist. Since August 1994, Breyer has been serving as an associate justice of the US Supreme Court after being nominated by President Bill Clinton in May 1994. He is also credited with writing several influential textbooks while working as a lecturer and law professor at Harvard Law School in the 1960s. 

 22 
Samuel Alito
(Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)
Samuel Alito
4
Birthdate: April 1, 1950
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Trenton, New Jersey, United States

The current associate justice of the Supreme Court of the US, Samuel Alito is only the second Italian American to serve on the court. Samuel Alito's journey from being an adjunct professor to one of the most powerful men in the American justice system is quite inspirational.

 23 
Elena Kagan
(Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)
Elena Kagan
5
Birthdate: April 28, 1960
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States

The fourth woman to become part of the Supreme Court of the United States as its member, Elena Kagan was nominated by Barack Obama in 2010 to serve as an Associate Justice of the Court. She played a major role in the Cooper v. Harris case by writing the majority opinion of the case.

 24 
James Monroe
(One of the Founding Fathers Who Served as the 5th President of the United States)
James Monroe
5
Birthdate: April 28, 1758
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Monroe Hall, Virginia, United States
Died: July 4, 1831

James Monroe, a Founding Father of the U.S., served as the American president from 1817 to 1825. He opposed European colonialism and issued the Monroe Doctrine. He had also been a U.S. secretary of state, the Virginia governor, a U.S. Senate member, and the American ambassador to Britain and France.

 25 
Judith Sheindlin
(TV personality)
Judith Sheindlin
12
Birthdate: October 21, 1942
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Judith Sheindlin is a prosecution lawyer, television personality, and author. Since 1996, she has been presiding over her own arbitration reality court show Judge Judy, which has won four Daytime Emmy Awards. The longest-serving judge in the history of the courtroom-themed program, Judith Sheindlin was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Emmy for her work.

 26 
Joe Kennedy III
(Politician)
Joe Kennedy III
5
Birthdate: October 4, 1980
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Brighton, Massachusetts, United States
 27 
Anthony Kennedy
(Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)
Anthony Kennedy
6
Birthdate: July 23, 1936
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Sacramento, California, United States
Anthony Kennedy has served as the judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 1975 to 1988 and as the associate justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S. from 1988 to 2018. Kennedy has been associated with Boumediene v. Bush and various gay rights cases.
 28 
F. Lee Bailey
4
Birthdate: June 10, 1933
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Waltham, Massachusetts, United States
Died: June 3, 2021
 29 
Fred Thompson
(Former United States Senator from Tennessee (1994 - 2003))
Fred Thompson
4
Birthdate: August 19, 1942
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Sheffield, Alabama, United States
Died: November 1, 2015

Fred Thompson was an American politician, lobbyist, attorney, columnist, radio personality, and actor. From 1994 to 2003, Thompson served as the United States Senator from Tennessee. As an actor, he played important roles in several films and TV series, such as Law & Order and Barbarians at the Gate.

 30 
Mark Levin
(Lawyer, Author and Host of Radio Show ‘The Mark Levin Show’ and TV Show ‘Life, Liberty & Levin’)
Mark Levin
6
Birthdate: September 21, 1957
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Mark Levin is an American lawyer and radio personality. He hosts popular shows, such as The Mark Levin Show and Life, Liberty & Levin. Since 2015, he has been contributing immensely as the editor-in-chief of the popular American website Conservative Review. Also a well-known author, Mark Levin has written seven New York Times best-selling books.

 31 
Maya Harris
(American Lawyer, Public Policy Advocate & Sister of 49th Vice President of United States, Kamala Harris)
Maya Harris
18
Birthdate: January 30, 1967
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, United States

A lawyer, law professor, political analyst and a civil rights activist, Maya Harris’s list of achievements is huge. One of the youngest in the US to become a law school dean, Maya Harris has worked with Hillary Clinton and her own sister Kamala Harris in their respective presidential campaigns.

 32 
William Rehnquist
(16th Chief Justice of the United States)
William Rehnquist
4
Birthdate: October 1, 1924
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Died: September 3, 2005
William Rehnquist had a 33-year career at the U.S. Supreme Court: as an associate justice for 14 years and as a chief justice for 19 years. He had served under Nixon and Ronald Reagan. He presided over Bill Clinton’s impeachment and was associated with cases such as Roe v. Wade.
 33 
John Kennedy
(Senator)
John Kennedy
6
Birthdate: November 21, 1951
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Centreville, Mississippi, United States
 34 
Kirstjen Nielsen
(Attorney)
Kirstjen Nielsen
5
Birthdate: May 14, 1972
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
 35 
Gary Hart
(Politician)
Gary Hart
9
Birthdate: November 28, 1936
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Ottawa, Kansas, United States
 36 
Clarence Darrow
4
Birthdate: April 18, 1857
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Kinsman Township
Died: March 13, 1938
 37 
Bryan Stevenson
(American Lawyer, Founder and Executive Director of the ‘Equal Justice Initiative’)
Bryan Stevenson
4
Birthdate: November 14, 1959
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Milton, Delaware, United States

Lawyer and social justice activist, Bryan Stevenson, is known for challenging bias against the poor and minorities in the criminal justice system. He advocates for the poor, fights for children’s rights, and condemns the death penalty. He is the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative. He was honored with the Benjamin Franklin Award from the American Philosophical Society.

 38 
J. Christopher Stevens
(10th United States Ambassador to Libya)
J. Christopher Stevens
4
Birthdate: April 18, 1960
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Grass Valley, California, United States
Died: September 11, 2012
 39 
Geraldo Rivera
(Journalist & Former Television Host)
Geraldo Rivera
7
Birthdate: July 4, 1943
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Journalist and TV personality Geraldo Rivera is best known for hosting the talk show Geraldo. He has also been part of the TV special The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults and the shows Geraldo at Large, Geraldo Rivera Reports, and The Five. He has authored several books, such as Willowbrook.
 40 
Lance Ito
(Judge best known for presiding over the criminal trial for the O. J. Simpson murder case)
Lance Ito
5
Birthdate: August 2, 1950
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
 41 
Earl Warren
(30th Governor of California (1943-53), 14th Chief Justice of the United States (1953-69))
Earl Warren
6
Birthdate: March 19, 1891
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: July 9, 1974
Earl Warren served as the chief justice of the U.S. from 1953 to 1969. He was also the California governor from 1943 to 1953. The "Warren Court" revolutionized the American justice system by making landmark judgments, such as making school segregation unconstitutional in the Brown v. Board of Education case.
 42 
Jack Schlossberg
(American Lawyer and Only Grandson of 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy)
Jack Schlossberg
4
Birthdate: January 19, 1993
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: New York, New York City, United States
Jack Schlossberg, son of Caroline Kennedy, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, and grandson of John F. Kennedy, is a Yale and Harvard alumnus. He co-founded ReLight New York, to light up homes of the less privileged, as an eighth-grader. He has made several official public appearances with his mother.
 43 
Sally Yates
(36th United States Deputy Attorney General)
Sally Yates
5
Birthdate: August 20, 1960
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Lawyer Sally Yates has served as a U.S. attorney and the U.S. deputy attorney general. She was also the acting attorney general for 10 days in 2017, until she was dismissed by Donald Trump for refusing to work according to the Executive Order 13769, or the “Muslim ban.” 
 44 
John Jay
(1st Chief Justice of the United States (1789 - 1795))
John Jay
5
Birthdate: December 12, 1745
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: May 17, 1829

One of the Founding Fathers of the United States who signed the famous Paris Treaty, John Jay was best known as the first Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, although he occupied various other important public positions. He was a diplomat, who shaped his country’s foreign policy. He passed legislation to gradually abolish slavery, but he himself owned five enslaved people.

 45 
Ari Melber
(American Attorney, Chief Legal Correspondent for 'MSNBC' and Host of the News Show 'The Beat with Ari Melber')
Ari Melber
4
Birthdate: March 31, 1980
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, United States
Attorney Ari Melber has gained fame as a journalist on NBC News. MSNBC's Emmy-nominated show The Beat with Ari Melber has garnered an immense viewership on YouTube, too, and is now the most-watched liberal show online. Melber also won an Emmy for his coverage of the Supreme Court on MSNBC.
 46 
Sunny Hostin
(Lawyer, Journalist and Co-Host on ABC's Morning Talk Show 'The View')
Sunny Hostin
6
Birthdate: October 20, 1968
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Sunny Hostin is an American journalist, lawyer, and television host. She is best known for co-hosting the popular talk show, The View, for which she has received four Daytime Emmy Award nominations so far. Before appearing on TV, Sunny Hostin served as a federal prosecutor; for successfully prosecuting sex offenders, Hostin was honored with a Special Achievement Award.

 47 
John Marshall
(Former Chief Justice)
John Marshall
5
Birthdate: September 24, 1755
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Germantown
Died: July 6, 1835

John Marshall was an American lawyer and politician. From 1801 to 1835, Marshall worked as the fourth Chief Justice of the US. He remains the longest-serving chief justice in Supreme Court history and is considered one of the most influential Supreme Court justices of all time. In 2005, a commemorative dollar was minted in his honor.

 48 
John Dean
(Author)
John Dean
4
Birthdate: October 14, 1938
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Akron
 49 
Adlai Stevenson II
(5th United States Ambassador to the United Nations)
Adlai Stevenson II
4
Birthdate: February 5, 1900
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: July 14, 1965
Adlai Stevenson II served as the Illinois governor from 1949 to 1953. He contested as the Democratic presidential nominee in 1952 and 1956 but was defeated by Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower both the times. Stevenson II also served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations from 1961 to 1965.
 50 
Francis Scott Key
4
Birthdate: August 1, 1779
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Frederick County, Maryland, United States
Died: January 11, 1843