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, she was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in in 2022. Jackson holds the distinction of being the first black woman and the first former federal public defender to serve on the Supreme Court.
1992: Staff Reporter and Researcher for Time magazine
From 1992 to 1993, Jackson worked as a staff reporter and researcher for Time magazine.
1996: Law Clerk to Judge Patti B. Saris
From 1996 to 1997, after law school, Jackson served as a law clerk to Judge Patti B. Saris of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
1997: Law Clerk to Judge Bruce M. Selya
From 1997 to 1998, Jackson served as a law clerk to Judge Bruce M. Selya of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
1998: Private Practice at Miller Cassidy Larroca & Lewin
In 1998, 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 Justice Stephen Breyer
From 1999 to 2000, Jackson clerked for Justice Stephen Breyer.
2000: Private Legal Practice at Goodwin Procter
From 2000 to 2002, Jackson returned to private legal practice at the law firm of Goodwin Procter.
2000: End of Clerkship with Justice Stephen Breyer
In 2000, Jackson concluded her clerkship with Justice Stephen Breyer.
2002: Law Firm of Feinberg & Rozen LLP
From 2002 to 2003, Jackson worked under Kenneth Feinberg at the law firm now called Feinberg & Rozen LLP.
2003: Assistant Special Counsel
From 2003 to 2005, she was an assistant special counsel to the United States Sentencing Commission.
2003: Michael E. Horowitz served from 2003 until 2009
Michael E. Horowitz served from 2003 until 2009
2005: Assistant Federal Public Defender
From 2005 to 2007, Jackson was an assistant federal public defender in Washington, D.C.
2007: Appellate Specialist at Morrison & Foerster
From 2007 to 2010, Jackson was an appellate specialist in private practice at the law firm of Morrison & Foerster.
July 23, 2009: Nomination as Vice Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission
On July 23, 2009, President Obama nominated Jackson as vice chair of the United States Sentencing Commission.
November 5, 2009: Favorable Report by Senate Judiciary Committee
On November 5, 2009, the Senate Judiciary Committee favorably reported Jackson's nomination by voice vote.
February 11, 2010: Confirmation by the Senate
On February 11, 2010, the Senate confirmed Jackson's nomination by voice vote.
2010: Vice Chairwoman of the United States Sentencing Commission
In 2010, Jackson became the vice chairwoman of the United States Sentencing Commission, serving until 2014.
2010: End of Morrison & Foerster role
In 2010, Jackson's time at the law firm of Morrison & Foerster concluded.
September 20, 2012: Nomination as United States District Judge
On September 20, 2012, President Obama nominated Jackson to serve as a United States district judge for the District of Columbia.
December 2012: Confirmation Hearing
In December 2012, U.S. Representative Paul Ryan introduced Jackson at her confirmation hearing.
2012: Rights violation of a deaf inmate
In 2012, the D.C. Department of Corrections violated the rights of a deaf inmate.
February 14, 2013: Favorable Report by the Senate Judiciary Committee
On February 14, 2013, the Senate Judiciary Committee favorably reported her nomination by voice vote.
2013: Appointment as District Judge
In 2013, President Barack Obama appointed Jackson 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 American Meat Institute v. U.S. Department of Agriculture, 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: Depomed v. Department of Health and Human Services
In 2014, 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.
2014: End of Service on Sentencing Commission
In 2014, Jackson served on the Sentencing Commission until 2014.
2014: End of term at the United States Sentencing Commission
In 2014, Jackson's term as the vice chairwoman of the United States Sentencing Commission came to an end.
2015: Pierce v. District of Columbia
In 2015, Jackson ruled in Pierce v. District of Columbia 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, Jackson became a member of the Harvard Board of Overseers, a position she held until 2022.
June 2018: Challenging HHS decision to terminate grants
In June 2018, Jackson presided over cases challenging the Department of Health and Human Services' decision to terminate grants for teen pregnancy prevention programs two years early. She ruled that the decision to terminate the grants early without explanation was arbitrary and capricious.
2018: Dismissal of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Lawsuits
In 2018, Jackson dismissed 40 wrongful death and product liability lawsuits stemming from the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
2018: American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO v. Trump
In 2018, Jackson invalidated provisions of three executive orders in American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO v. Trump.
2019: Preliminary Injunction in Make The Road New York v. McAleenan
In 2019, Jackson issued a preliminary injunction in Make The Road New York v. McAleenan, blocking a Trump administration rule that would have expanded expedited removal for undocumented immigrants.
2019: Committee on the Judiciary of the U.S. House of Representatives v. McGahn
In 2019, 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 a subpoena to appear at an impeachment inquiry hearing.
2019: DC Circuit vacated this ruling
In 2019, The D.C. Circuit vacated the ruling in American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO v. Trump on jurisdictional grounds.
2019: Center for Biological Diversity v. McAleenan
In 2019, in Center for Biological Diversity v. McAleenan, 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.
August 2020: Affirmation by the D.C. Circuit
In August 2020, the D.C. Circuit affirmed part of Jackson's decision in Committee on the Judiciary of the U.S. House of Representatives v. McGahn.
2020: Affirmation by D.C. Circuit
In 2020, The D.C. Circuit affirmed the 2018 ruling in 2020.
March 30, 2021: Intention to Nominate as a United States Circuit Judge
On March 30, 2021, President Biden announced his intention to nominate 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, President Biden nominated Jackson to the United States circuit judge for the District of Columbia Circuit. Her nomination was sent to the Senate.
June 4, 2021: McGahn Testifies Behind Closed Doors
On June 4, 2021, McGahn testified behind closed doors under an agreement reached with the Biden administration, while the Committee on the Judiciary of the U.S. House of Representatives v. McGahn case remained pending.
June 17, 2021: End of Service as a District Judge
On June 17, 2021, Jackson's service as a district judge ended when she was elevated to the court of appeals.
2021: Elevation to the United States Court of Appeals
In 2021, President Joe Biden elevated Jackson to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
February 25, 2022: Nomination to the Supreme Court
On February 25, 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States.
June 29, 2022: End of Circuit Judge Service
On June 29, 2022, Ketanji Brown Jackson's service as a circuit judge officially ended. This was the day before she was sworn in as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, marking a transition in her judicial career.
June 30, 2022: Sworn in as Associate Justice
On June 30, 2022, Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn in as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court at noon, marking her official start date. This occurred immediately following Justice Breyer's retirement taking effect.
September 28, 2022: Assigned as Circuit Justice for the First Circuit
On September 28, 2022, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was assigned as the circuit justice for the First Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals, adding to her responsibilities on the Supreme Court.
2022: Harvard Board of Overseers Member
In 2022, Jackson served as a Harvard Board of Overseers member.
February 28, 2023: Authored First Majority Opinion
On February 28, 2023, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson authored her first majority opinion for a unanimous court in the case Delaware v. Pennsylvania. The case concerned the distribution of unclaimed money from MoneyGrams among individual states.
June 1, 2023: Sole Dissenting Opinion in Glacier Northwest, Inc. v. Teamsters
On June 1, 2023, Justice Jackson wrote the sole dissenting opinion in the case of Glacier Northwest, Inc. v. Teamsters. Her dissent addressed the power of employers to sue labor unions regarding the destruction of employer property following a strike, arguing for deference to the National Labor Relations Board.
June 13, 2024: Opinion in Starbucks Corporation v. McKinney
On June 13, 2024, Justice Jackson wrote an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part in Starbucks Corporation v. McKinney. She agreed that the case should be reheard, but argued that the majority failed to follow the NLRA's directives regarding deference to the NLRB in labor disputes.
