In June, the U.S. Supreme Court held 4-3 that the race-conscious admissions program used by the University of Texas at Austin is lawful under the Equal Protection Clause. The ruling in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin was a victory for GW Law alumnus Gregory Garre, JD '91, who argued on behalf of the university.
In oral arguments in December of 2015, Mr. Garre focused on three main points: the record supported the Texas legislature's conclusion that a holistic admissions plan was necessary, the record showed that the holistic admissions policy had a meaningful impact on diversity at the university, and the record ruled out any claim that the university had adopted a quota.
Mr. Garre is far from a newcomer to arguing before the Supreme Court. Prior to his current position as a partner at Latham & Watkins LLP, Mr. Garre served as the 44th Solicitor General of the United States.
In addition to appearing before the justices, Mr. Garre also spent time this past academic year on GW's campus. He served as the keynote speaker for the Law School Diploma Ceremony on May 15, 2016 and answered a few questions about his memories from law school and his career.