Former U.S. Solicitor General and Gibson Dunn partner Ted Olson died Wednesday at the age of 84.
In a press release, the law firm praised Olson for his work, labeling him a “trailblazing advocate who cared about all people.”
“Ted was a titan of the legal profession and one of the most extraordinary and eloquent advocates of our time. He was creative, principled, and fearless – a trailblazing advocate who cared about all people,” Barbara Becker, Chair and Managing Partner of Gibson Dunn, said in the release.
“We mourn his loss profoundly and send our condolences to his wife Lady, a cherished member of our firm family, and to all of Ted’s loved ones,” she added.
A prominent lawyer, Olson has argued 65 cases in the Supreme Court, the release said. He argued two cases following the 2000 presidential election, as well as for Citizens United in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a controversial decision that reversed campaign finance restrictions, allowing corporations and outside groups to spend unlimited funds on elections. He also argued in U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California, challenging the Trump administration’s rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
The release also noted that Olson served as U.S. Solicitor General in the early 2000s. Before that, he was Assistant Attorney General overseeing the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department. Excluding those two roles, he’s been a lawyer at Gibson Dunn since 1965.
He also served as counsel to former Presidents Ronald Regan and George W. Bush and served them in high-level positions in the Department of Justice.
