One of the principal attorneys in Washington v. Trump, the travel ban litigation, Anne Egeler, Deputy Solicitor General in the Washington Attorney General’s Office, recently visited Oregon Law as the 2018 Galen Distinguished Guest in Legal Writing.
The highlight of the visit was Egeler’s presentation to first-year students, “Challenging the President.” Grounding her remarks in the historical executive order that resulted in internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, Egeler delved into the challenges in litigating the travel ban executive orders—beginning with drafting pleadings on complex issues over a weekend. She emphasized the role new attorneys played in this case, and she encouraged 1Ls to do careful research, master their arguments, and edit carefully.
In addition, Deputy Solicitor General Egeler discussed rulemaking in Associate Dean Amos’s administrative law class; had lunch with appellate moot court teams and coaches to share tips for writing briefs and presenting oral arguments; and met informally with faculty, students, and local attorneys. Dean Amos offered that Egeler’s visit to her class “provided an incredible opportunity for students to meet and learn directly from an attorney at the forefront of one of the most high profile constitutional and administrative law cases in the country.”
Professor Suzanne Rowe, the LRW director, noted the theme of professionalism throughout the visit. “Anne praised attorneys on both sides of the travel ban litigation. Even in challenging cases, professional reputation is important.”
Students engaged in small group discussions with the deputy solicitor general and were impressed that she offered her contact information for those considering government work. During lunch with moot court students, Egeler explained how government attorneys sometimes have to put aside their own political beliefs to advocate for the rule of law.
This visit was made possible by the generous support of the Galen Fund and sponsored by the Legal Research and Writing Program.