Alan Morrison (lawyer)
Encyclopedia
Alan Morrison is a Supreme Court
attorney
and the co-founder of Public Citizen Litigation Group
.
in 1959. He then attended Harvard Law School
, graduating in 1966. He also worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District
of New York
.
In 1971, he met Ralph Nader
and the two men founded Public Citizen Litigation Group
, the litigating arm of the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. Morrison served as the director of the Public Citizen Litigation Group
. Over the span of his career, Morrison has argued 20 cases before the Supreme Court, most notably the key separation-of-powers case INS vs. Chadha
. He also founded the Supreme Court Assistance Project (SCAP), which assists small-firm lawyers in arguing cases before the Supreme Court. Morrison retired from Public Citizen in 2004 to work at Stanford Law School
as a senior lecturer on administrative and public interest law.
He has taught at various other laws schools, including Harvard. He also served as a Visiting Professor of Law at the Washington College of Law
. In 2009, Morrison joined The George Washington University Law School
as the Lerner Family Associate Dean for Public Interest and Public Service Law.
He served as the president of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers
from 1999-2000.
Morrison is also the co-author of the 1995 book Representing Yourself : What You Can Do Without a Lawyer.
.
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and the co-founder of Public Citizen Litigation Group
Public Citizen Litigation Group
Public Citizen Litigation Group is a nationally prominent public interest law firm known for its Supreme Court and appellate practice. The group is the litigating arm of the non-profit consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen...
.
Career
Morrison graduated from Yale CollegeYale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
in 1959. He then attended Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, graduating in 1966. He also worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
In 1971, he met Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
and the two men founded Public Citizen Litigation Group
Public Citizen Litigation Group
Public Citizen Litigation Group is a nationally prominent public interest law firm known for its Supreme Court and appellate practice. The group is the litigating arm of the non-profit consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen...
, the litigating arm of the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. Morrison served as the director of the Public Citizen Litigation Group
Public Citizen Litigation Group
Public Citizen Litigation Group is a nationally prominent public interest law firm known for its Supreme Court and appellate practice. The group is the litigating arm of the non-profit consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen...
. Over the span of his career, Morrison has argued 20 cases before the Supreme Court, most notably the key separation-of-powers case INS vs. Chadha
Immigration and Naturalization Service v. Chadha
Immigration and Naturalization Service v. Chadha, 462 U.S. 919 , was a United States Supreme Court case ruling in 1983 that the one-house legislative veto violated the constitutional separation of powers.-Parties:...
. He also founded the Supreme Court Assistance Project (SCAP), which assists small-firm lawyers in arguing cases before the Supreme Court. Morrison retired from Public Citizen in 2004 to work at Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is a graduate school at Stanford University located in the area known as the Silicon Valley, near Palo Alto, California in the United States. The Law School was established in 1893 when former President Benjamin Harrison joined the faculty as the first professor of law...
as a senior lecturer on administrative and public interest law.
He has taught at various other laws schools, including Harvard. He also served as a Visiting Professor of Law at the Washington College of Law
Washington College of Law
American University Washington College of Law is the law school of American University. It is located on Massachusetts Avenue in the Spring Valley neighborhood of northwest Washington. WCL is ranked 50th among law schools by US News and World Report...
. In 2009, Morrison joined The George Washington University Law School
The George Washington University Law School
The George Washington University Law School, commonly referred to as GW Law, is the law school of The George Washington University. It was founded in 1825 and is the oldest law school in Washington, D.C. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a charter member of the...
as the Lerner Family Associate Dean for Public Interest and Public Service Law.
He served as the president of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers
American Academy of Appellate Lawyers
The American Academy of Appellate Lawyers is a non-profit organization consisting of the Fellows who have been elected to the Academy. It was founded in 1990. Its mission is to "advance the highest standards and practices of appellate advocacy and to recognize outstanding appellate lawyers."The...
from 1999-2000.
Morrison is also the co-author of the 1995 book Representing Yourself : What You Can Do Without a Lawyer.
Personal life
Morrison has a wife, Anne, and two daughters, Becky and Nina. Nina is currently working as an attorney for the non-profit organization, The Innocence ProjectThe Innocence Project
The Innocence Project is a BBC television series.The Innocence Project may also refer to:*The Innocence Project, a non-profit legal organization in the United States founded in 1992 by Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld...
.