Justice Ginsburg Tops Super Lawyers Supreme Court Lunch Date List
EAGAN, Minn. – The dream of sharing a meal and conversation with a Supreme Court justice would seem to be the ultimate lunch date. But which justice? And where would you take them? Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, surveyed 99 of the top lawyers in the U.S. and asked them, “Which U.S. Supreme Court justice would you take to lunch? And where?”
Answers ranged from Fat Matt’s Rib Shack in Atlanta with Justice Kagan (“She’s from New York City, and I think she needs to eat some barbecue.”), to Rami’s falafel restaurant on Harvard Street with Justice Breyer (“Since I know he is from Boston.”), to Hussong’s Cantina in Baja, Mexico with Justice Scalia (“After a few more beers, we may start to agree on things.”).
The most popular fantasy lunch date was Ruth Bader Ginsburg, with 20 invites, followed by Antonin Scalia with 15. One creative attorney suggested the two of them as a joint lunch date. “They are so ideologically diverse and yet the best of friends socially,” he said. “I think there’s a lot to be learned for Republicans and Democrats in the current, partisan divide.”
| JUSTICES | INVITES |
|---|---|
| Ruth Bader Ginsburg | 20 |
| Antonin Scalia | 15 |
| Sonia Sotomayor | 10 |
| Clarence Thomas | 8 |
| John Roberts | 7 |
| Elena Kagan | 6 |
| Anthony Kennedy | 5 |
| Stephen Breyer | 3 |
| Samuel Alito, Jr. | 1 |
Nine retired or deceased justices received votes, including Sandra Day O’Connor (nine), John Paul Stevens (four), Earl Warren (three), and two each for David Souter and Oliver Wendell Holmes (“Not just because of his brilliance, but the totality of his life experiences.”), whom one attorney suggested introducing to the Waffle House (“He might be more talkative over grits and hash browns.”).
Every year, we ask a question of three top attorneys in each region of the U.S., and the lawyers who responded to this one made some great choices,” said Erik Lundegaard, editor in chief, Super Lawyers. “Interestingly, many went with a justice they disagreed with. Lawyers being lawyers, they wanted to argue. So a choice for lunch date, like a retweet, isn’t necessarily an endorsement. But it would still make for great conversation in a unique location. Who wouldn’t want that in a lunch date?”
Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a research-driven, peer influenced rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The mission of Super Lawyers is to bring visibility to those attorneys who exhibit excellence in practice. The Super Lawyers lists are published in Super Lawyers Magazines and in leading city and regional magazines across the country. The Super Lawyers Magazines also feature editorial profiles of attorneys who embody excellence in the practice of law. For more information, go to superlawyers.com.
Thomson Reuters
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