Career Timeline of Ketanji Brown Jackson: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Ketanji Brown Jackson, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Ketanji Onyika Brown Jackson is an American lawyer and jurist serving as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Nominated by President Joe Biden on February 25, 2022, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she was sworn into office in 2022. Jackson is the first Black woman and the first former federal public defender to hold a position on the Supreme Court.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1992: Staff Reporter and Researcher for Time magazine

From 1992 to 1993, Ketanji Brown Jackson worked as a staff reporter and researcher for Time magazine.

1996: Law Clerk to Judge Patti B. Saris

From 1996 to 1997, Ketanji Brown Jackson served as a law clerk to Judge Patti B. Saris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

1997: Law Clerk to Judge Bruce M. Selya

From 1997 to 1998, Ketanji Brown Jackson served as a law clerk to Judge Bruce M. Selya of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

1998: Private practice at Miller Cassidy Larroca & Lewin

In 1998, Ketanji Brown Jackson spent a year in private practice at the Washington, D.C., law firm of Miller Cassidy Larroca & Lewin (now part of Baker Botts).

1999: Law Clerk to Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer

From 1999 to 2000, Ketanji Brown Jackson clerked for Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

2000: Returns to private legal practice at Goodwin Procter

From 2000 to 2002, Ketanji Brown Jackson returned to private legal practice at the law firm of Goodwin Procter.

2000: End of clerkship with Stephen Breyer

In 2000, Ketanji Brown Jackson's clerkship with Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer ended.

2002: Joins Feinberg & Rozen LLP

From 2002 to 2003, Ketanji Brown Jackson joined the law firm now called Feinberg & Rozen LLP under Kenneth Feinberg.

2003: Assistant Special Counsel to the United States Sentencing Commission

From 2003 to 2005, Ketanji Brown Jackson was an assistant special counsel to the United States Sentencing Commission.

2003: Michael E. Horowitz served in the Sentencing Commission

From 2003 until 2009, Michael E. Horowitz served in the Sentencing Commission.

2005: Assistant Federal Public Defender

From 2005 to 2007, Ketanji Brown Jackson was an assistant federal public defender in Washington, D.C.

2007: Appellate Specialist at Morrison & Foerster

From 2007 to 2010, Ketanji Brown Jackson was an appellate specialist in private practice at the law firm of Morrison & Foerster.

July 23, 2009: Nominated as Vice Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission

On July 23, 2009, President Obama nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson as vice chair of the United States Sentencing Commission.

November 5, 2009: Senate Judiciary Committee favorably reported her nomination

On November 5, 2009, The Senate Judiciary Committee favorably reported Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination by voice vote.

February 11, 2010: Senate confirmed her nomination

On February 11, 2010, the Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination by voice vote and she succeeded Michael E. Horowitz.

2010: Served on Advisory Board of Montrose Christian School

From 2010 to 2011, Ketanji Brown Jackson served on the advisory board of Montrose Christian School, a Baptist school.

2010: Vice Chairwoman of the United States Sentencing Commission

In 2010, Ketanji Brown Jackson became the vice chairwoman of the United States Sentencing Commission.

2010: End of role as Appellate Specialist at Morrison & Foerster

In 2010, Ketanji Brown Jackson left her role as an appellate specialist at the law firm of Morrison & Foerster.

September 20, 2012: Nomination as United States district judge

On September 20, 2012, Barack Obama nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve as a United States district judge for the District of Columbia.

December 2012: Confirmation hearing

In December 2012, Paul Ryan introduced Ketanji Brown Jackson at her confirmation hearing.

2012: Violation of rights of a deaf inmate

In 2012, the D.C. Department of Corrections violated the rights of a deaf inmate during his detention.

February 14, 2013: Senate Judiciary Committee favorably reported her nomination

On February 14, 2013, the Senate Judiciary Committee favorably reported Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination by voice vote.

2013: Appointed as a district judge

In 2013, Ketanji Brown Jackson was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as a district judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

2013: American Meat Institute v. U.S. Department of Agriculture

In 2013, in the case of American Meat Institute v. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ketanji Brown Jackson rejected the meat packing industry's request for a preliminary injunction to block a United States Department of Agriculture rule requiring them to identify animals' country of origin.

2014: End of service on Sentencing Commission

In 2014, Ketanji Brown Jackson ended her service on the Sentencing Commission.

2014: End of term at the United States Sentencing Commission

In 2014, Ketanji Brown Jackson ended her term as the vice chairwoman of the United States Sentencing Commission.

2014: Depomed v. Department of Health and Human Services

In 2014, in Depomed v. Department of Health and Human Services, Ketanji Brown Jackson ruled that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had violated the Administrative Procedure Act when it failed to grant pharmaceutical company Depomed market exclusivity for its orphan drug Gralise.

2015: Pierce v. District of Columbia

In 2015, in Pierce v. District of Columbia, Jackson ruled that the D.C. Department of Corrections violated the rights of a deaf inmate under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

2016: Harvard Board of Overseers member

In 2016, Ketanji Brown Jackson became a Harvard Board of Overseers member and served until 2022.

2016: Consideration as Potential Supreme Court Nominee

In early 2016, Obama administration officials vetted Ketanji Brown Jackson as a potential nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States, to fill the vacancy left by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Jackson was one of five candidates interviewed as a potential nominee.

2017: Presented at Edith House Lecture

In 2017, Ketanji Brown Jackson presented at the University of Georgia School of Law's 35th Edith House Lecture.

June 2018: Termination of Grants for Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs

In June 2018, Ketanji Brown Jackson presided over cases challenging the Department of Health and Human Services' decision to terminate grants for teen pregnancy prevention programs two years early and ruled that the decision to terminate the grants early without explanation was arbitrary and capricious.

2018: Dismissal of Lawsuits Stemming from Disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370

In 2018, Ketanji Brown Jackson dismissed 40 wrongful death and product liability lawsuits stemming from the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

2018: Presided over Mock Trial

In 2018, Ketanji Brown Jackson presided over a mock trial hosted by Drexel University's Thomas R. Kline School of Law, "to determine if Vice President Aaron Burr was guilty of murdering" Alexander Hamilton.

2018: Panelist at National Constitution Center

In 2018, Ketanji Brown Jackson was a panelist at the National Constitution Center's town hall on Alexander Hamilton's legacy.

2018: American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO v. Trump

In 2018, in American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO v. Trump, Ketanji Brown Jackson invalidated provisions of three executive orders that would have limited the time federal employee labor union officials could spend with union members.

2019: Make The Road New York v. McAleenan

In 2019, Ketanji Brown Jackson issued a preliminary injunction in Make The Road New York v. McAleenan, blocking a Trump administration rule that would have expanded expedited removal without immigration court hearings for undocumented immigrants.

2019: Committee on the Judiciary of the U.S. House of Representatives v. McGahn

In 2019, Ketanji Brown Jackson issued a ruling in Committee on the Judiciary of the U.S. House of Representatives v. McGahn, compelling former White House Counsel Don McGahn to comply with the subpoena to appear at an impeachment inquiry hearing.

2019: Center for Biological Diversity v. McAleenan

In 2019, in Center for Biological Diversity v. McAleenan, Ketanji Brown Jackson held that Congress had stripped federal courts of jurisdiction to hear non-constitutional challenges to the United States Secretary of Homeland Security's decision to waive certain environmental requirements to facilitate construction of a border wall on the United States and Mexico border.

2019: Vacated ruling on jurisdictional grounds

In 2019, the D.C. Circuit vacated Ketanji Brown Jackson's ruling on jurisdictional grounds.

August 2020: Affirmation of part of the decision

In August 2020, the D.C. Circuit affirmed part of Ketanji Brown Jackson's decision in Committee on the Judiciary of the U.S. House of Representatives v. McGahn.

2020: Biden Pledges to Appoint Black Woman

During the 2020 United States presidential election campaign, Biden pledged to appoint a black woman to the court should a vacancy occur.

2020: Reversal of preliminary injunction

In 2020, in a 2–1 ruling, the D.C. Circuit reversed the entry of the preliminary injunction.

2020: Affirmation of Ruling in Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Case

In 2020, the D.C. Circuit affirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson's ruling in the case regarding the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

March 30, 2021: Biden Announces Intention to Nominate Jackson

On March 30, 2021, President Biden announced his intention to nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson as a United States circuit judge for the District of Columbia Circuit.

April 19, 2021: Nomination Sent to the Senate

On April 19, 2021, Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination for the United States circuit judge for the District of Columbia Circuit was sent to the Senate.

April 28, 2021: Senate Judiciary Committee Holds Nomination Hearing

On April 28, 2021, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination. During the hearing, she was questioned about several of her rulings against the Trump administration.

June 4, 2021: Don McGahn testified behind closed doors

On June 4, 2021, Don McGahn testified behind closed doors under an agreement reached with the Biden administration.

June 17, 2021: End of service as a district judge

On June 17, 2021, Ketanji Brown Jackson's service as a district judge ended when she was elevated to the court of appeals.

2021: Elevated to the United States Court of Appeals

In 2021, Joe Biden elevated Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

2021: Support and Opposition to Potential Nomination

In 2021, Ketanji Brown Jackson's potential nomination to the Supreme Court was supported by civil rights and liberal advocacy organizations, while Republican Party leaders and senators opposed it.

2021: Joined U.S. Court of Appeals

In the summer of 2021, Ketanji Brown Jackson joined the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

January 2022: Report on Lack of Appeals Court Opinions

In January 2022, The New York Times reported that Jackson had "not yet written a body of appeals court opinions expressing a legal philosophy" because she had recently joined the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

February 25, 2022: Nomination to the Supreme Court

On February 25, 2022, Ketanji Brown Jackson was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Joe Biden. That same year she was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and sworn into office.

June 29, 2022: End of Circuit Judge Service

On June 29, 2022, Ketanji Brown Jackson's service as a circuit judge ended, marking the day before she was sworn in as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

June 30, 2022: Sworn in as Associate Justice

On June 30, 2022, Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn in and became an associate justice at noon, when Breyer's retirement went into effect.

September 28, 2022: Assigned as Circuit Justice

On September 28, 2022, Ketanji Brown Jackson was assigned as the circuit justice for the First Circuit.

2022: End of term at the United States Court of Appeals

In 2022, Ketanji Brown Jackson ended her term at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

2022: Speculation of Supreme Court Nomination

In early 2022, news outlets speculated that Biden would nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court to fill the seat vacated by Justice Breyer.

2022: Most Active Participant in Oral Arguments

Since joining the Court at the beginning of the 2022 term, Ketanji Brown Jackson was the most active participant in oral arguments, speaking an average of 1,350 words per argument.

February 28, 2023: Authored First Majority Opinion

On February 28, 2023, Ketanji Brown Jackson authored her first majority opinion for a unanimous court in Delaware v. Pennsylvania, which involved how unclaimed money from MoneyGrams are distributed among individual states.

June 1, 2023: Wrote Dissenting Opinion in Glacier Northwest, Inc. v. Teamsters

On June 1, 2023, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote the sole dissenting opinion in Glacier Northwest, Inc. v. Teamsters, concerning the power of employers to sue labor unions regarding the destruction of employer property following a strike.

June 13, 2024: Opinion in Starbucks Corporation v. McKinney

On June 13, 2024, Jackson wrote an opinion, concurring in part and dissenting in part, in Starbucks Corporation v. McKinney, regarding deference to the NLRB authority in labor disputes.