She just may shake the room!
D.C. Appeals Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson is a strong contender for a future Supreme Court justice seat, NPR reports.
Jackson is no stranger to the courtroom. Both of her parents were public school teachers before her father became a lawyer and her mom became a principal. Their example paved the way for Jackson, who eventually attended Harvard College and Harvard Law School. There she met her husband and the two built a family, going on to start her career as a clerk for three different federal judges, including Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. She went on to litigate for a large law firm before focusing solely on appellate work, working her way to become vice chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission and then being nominated in 2012 by former President Barack Obama to become a federal district judge.
Even back then, there were talks of Jackson being on Obama’s Supreme Court shortlist, but even she admits it was a long shot. Now, the veteran litigator has just been nominated by the Biden administration to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. As to be expected, the conversation around Jackson occupying a potential SCJ seat has resurfaced, and this time, it just might happen.
Jackson is more than qualified and adds the diversity needed for the highest court in the land. The 50-year-old Miami native has spoken very candidly about her dream job and what it has taken as a woman navigating her work up to this point along with her home responsibilities.
“I think it is not possible to overstate the degree of difficulty that many young women, and especially new mothers, face in the law firm context. The hours are long; the workflow unpredictable; you have little control over your time and schedule and you start to feel as though the demands of the billable hour are constantly in conflict with the needs of your children and your family responsibilities,” Jackson said.
Eventually Jackson did find that freedom and balance she was looking for and her work as a D.C. Appellate Court judge, if confirmed, will be an extension of that. Her dream job of being a Supreme Court Justice is beyond her control and relies solely on a potential vacancy and which administration is in power at the time.
Jackson will take over in the appeals court for Merrick Garland, who just recently resigned after being confirmed as U.S. attorney general.
Congratulations Ketanji!
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