Former U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson died Wednesday, November 13 after suffering a stroke. He was 84. He led the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel as Assistant Attorney General and later served as Solicitor General from June 2001 to July 2004. While in that office he argued 65 cases.

Olson, a longtime NAFUSA member, argued and won many landmark cases, including the high profile case Bush v. Gore, which resulted in the presidency going to George W. Bush. He continued to argue cases of high impact before the Court after his time as Solicitor General as a private lawyer.

His tenure as Solicitor General was marked by personal tragedy. His wife Barbara was on the highjacked plane that went down at the Pentagon. She was able to call him and tell him that her plane was highjacked and talk for several minutes before the line went dead.

Most of Olson’s legal career was in private practice. He was a member of the conservative Federalist Society, but also championed causes such as allowing “dreamers” to remain in the U.S. legally and striking down laws banning gay marriage. He was still practicing law up until a few days before his death.

Attorney General Merrick Garland released a statement praising Olson’s integrity, skill and dedication to the rule of law. “The passing of Ted Olson is an enormous loss the for the legal community. Ted was an extraordinary attorney and public servant whose
contributions to the Justice Department and the law will long be remembered.”

In keeping with NAFUSA tradition, a flag was flown in his honor over the Department of
Justice on November 18, 2024.