As he approaches his 76th birthday, Theodore Olson has begun to let younger colleagues take his place at the U.S. Supreme Court lectern—but not because he has lost any of his sharp-edged argument skills. Olson, who has argued 62 cases at the court at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and as U.S. solicitor general, says he is trying to help younger colleagues move into the spotlight. “Except where the client has insisted,” he says, “I have wanted other members of the team to develop their experience and credentials.”
Cutting back may give Olson a tad more time to reflect on a long legal career that began at Gibson Dunn more than 50 years ago. A key conservative legal tactician during the Reagan administration and the Clinton impeachment, Olson became a household name for his victory in Bush v. Gore for George W. Bush. In more recent years, to the surprise of many, he has emerged as a leading advocate for same-sex marriage.
