That leaves 16, but before we start evaluating them, let’s pause and take into account the last three years. A lot has changed, including President Trump’s record number of appointments to the circuit courts of appeal.
Among those who don’t already appear on the list, I would add the following superstars: Third Circuit Judge Stephanos Bibas, Fifth Circuit Judge James Ho, Fifth Circuit Judge Andrew Oldham, D.C. Circuit Judge Neomi Rao, and my dark-horse, Walmart general counsel Rachel Brand (previously associate attorney general, the number-three Justice Department official, and destined for future high office, judicial or otherwise). Of those, the erudite Oldham joins Grant and Wyrick in the “hold” pile because he only turned 40 last year.
That leaves 20 people hailing from all over the country and representing diverse educational backgrounds, with only a handful having graduated from Harvard or Yale law schools. Without any presidential puffery, it’s a terrific list.
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