American lawyer (born 1967)
Ian Heath Gershengorn (born February 21, 1967) is an American lawyer and former acting Solicitor General of the United States under President Barack Obama.[1]
Early life and education
Born in New York, New York and raised outside of Boston,[2] Gershengorn attended the Roxbury Latin School. He earned a bachelor's degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard University in 1988 and a J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1993.[3]
From 1993 until 1994, Gershengorn clerked for United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Judge Amalya Kearse. From 1994 until 1995, Gershengorn worked as a law clerk for United States Supreme Court Associate Justice John Paul Stevens.[3]
Professional career
From 1995 until 1997, Gershengorn worked for the United States Department of Justice as a special assistant and counsel to then-United States Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick.[3]
In 1997, Gershengorn joined the law firm of Jenner & Block, rising to the level of Partner in the firm's litigation department, working in the firm's Appellate and Supreme Court Practice and in its Communications Practice.[4] While at the firm, Gershengorn was very active in representing Indian tribes in Supreme Court and appellate litigation.[5]
On April 13, 2009, it was announced that Gershengorn would be rejoining the United States Department of Justice as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Civil Division with oversight of the Federal Programs Branch.[5] The Federal Programs Branch is handling Guantánamo Bay detainee cases and state secret matters.[5]
In his deputy assistant attorney general position, Gershengorn was known for his work in defending legal challenges to President Obama's signature legislative achievement, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.[2]
On August 9, 2013, Gershengorn was named as the Principal Deputy Solicitor General in the United States Department of Justice's Office of the United States Solicitor General.[1]
On June 2, 2016, it was announced that Donald B. Verrilli Jr. was stepping down as Solicitor General and that Gershengorn would become Acting Solicitor General effective June 25, 2016,[6] which he remained until resigning at the end of Obama's term on January 20, 2017 because the Republican Senate majority did not deal with a replacement anymore.
Personal life
On September 1, 1996, he married Gail Felice Levine in Dallas, Texas. Gershengorn's wife has worked as a lawyer for the United States Department of Justice, as have two of his sisters.[2] His father is a cardiologist and his mother, Wendie Gershengorn, was a state court judge in Massachusetts. He and Gail have three sons.[2][7]
