Lisa Blatt serves as Chair of Williams & Connolly’s Supreme Court and Appellate practice. Lisa has argued 48 cases before the United States Supreme Court and has a nearly 90% win rate in cases decided. The National Law Journal has called her a "visionary" and one of "the 100 most influential lawyers in America."  Bloomberg has described her as a "legendary high court litigator" while The National Journal likewise has referred to her as a "SCOTUS legend."  In 2021, The American Lawyer recognized Lisa as the "Litigator of the Year."  Lisa’s appellate work has been highlighted by multiple publications and has earned her rankings in Chambers USA, Benchmark Litigation, The Legal 500, and Washingtonian magazine.  Lisa was selected as one of the “Top 10 Women in Litigation” in the United States by Benchmark Litigation (2020-2023). Managing IP named her the 2021 “Practitioner of the Year (Appellate)” for her work as lead counsel to Booking.com before the Supreme Court. In 2021, Chambers USA reported that clients describe Lisa as “one of the best advocates today. She is extremely strong on her feet, connects with judges and has an unmatched win record,” and her “command of the case law and the way she presents is a work of art.”

Lisa has substantial experience with trademark and copyright law and the pharmaceutical industry.  She has secured four recent Supreme Court victories for the rights of trademark and copyright holders. Her Supreme Court cases also have addressed a broad range of other issues, involving First Amendment, arbitration, antitrust, civil procedure, preemption, employment and ERISA, and bankruptcy.

Lisa began her career at Williams & Connolly as an associate before joining the general counsel’s office at the Department of Energy, followed by thirteen years in the Office of the Solicitor General.

Lisa received her J.D. summa cum laude from the University of Texas School of Law before clerking for The Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Lisa assists the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in selecting cases for amicus participation, and is on the Advisory Boards for Georgetown University Law Center's Supreme Court Institute and the Washington Legal Foundation.  She also teaches at Georgetown University’s Law Center.

Representative Experience

Although all cases vary and none is predictive, Lisa’s experience includes:

Supreme Court

  • Cantero v. Bank of America, No. 22-529 (2024) – Whether the National Bank Act preempts the application of state escrow-interest laws to national banks.
  • Jack Daniel’s Properties, Inc. v. VIP Products LLC, No. 22-148 (2023) – Secured holding that a defendant’s “humorous” or “expressive” use of another’s trademark did not insulate the defendant from liability for infringing or diluting the trademark. 
  • Gonzalez v. Google LLC, No. 21-1333 (2023) and Twitter, Inc. v. Taamneh, No. 21-1496 (2023) – Successfully represented Google in case concerning the Antiterrorism Act (ATA), 18 U.S.C. § 2333 and in persuading the Court not to address the scope of Section 230(c)(1) of the Communications Decency Act.
  • Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith, No. 21-869 (2023) – Secured holding that the Andy Warhol Foundation’s use of a copyrighted photograph does not favor the Foundation’s fair use defense to copyright infringement.
  • Mahanoy Area School Dist. v. B.L., No. 20-255 (2021). Secured ruling recognizing student’s First Amendment rights and holding that schools can regulate off-campus speech in limited circumstances. 
  • United States Patent & Trademark Office v. Booking.com, No. 19-46 (2020).  Secured holding that the addition of a generic top-level domain (".com") to an otherwise generic term can create a protectable trademark. 
  • Romag Fasteners, Inc. v. Fossil, Inc., No. 18-1233 (2020).  Unanimous ruling holding that plaintiffs in trademark infringement suits are not required to show that a defendant willfully infringed the plaintiff's trademark as a precondition to a profits award.  
  • Atlantic Richfield Co. v. Christian, 590 U.S. ___ (2020).  Secured ruling holding that Superfund site landowners cannot sue defendants to implement an alternative cleanup plan that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not approved.
  • BNSF Railway Company v. Loos, 586 U.S. ____ (2019).  Secured ruling that client’s payment to an employee for working time lost due to an on-the-job injury is taxable “compensation” under the Railroad Retirement Tax Act.*
  • Advocate Health Care Network v. Stapleton, 581 U. S. ____ (2017). Unanimous decision for client regarding ERISA's church plan exemption for religious employers.*
  • Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl, 570 U.S. 637 (2013). Clients prevailed in a child custody dispute involving the federal Indian Child Welfare Act. The case marked only the second time the Supreme Court had considered the scope of ICWA, and "Baby Girl" was reunited with her adoptive parents.*
  • Tarrant Regional Water District v. Herrmann, 569 U.S. 614 (2013). Secured decision protecting key western water compacts that do not expressly authorize cross-border diversions.*
  • Marx v. General Revenue Corp., 568 U.S. 371 (2013). Secured ruling in favor of client in Fair Debt Collection Practices Act case.*
  • Astra USA, Inc. v. Santa Clara County, 563 U.S. 110 (2011). Unanimous decision for client that resolved important questions for government contract litigation involving third-party beneficiary challenges.*
  • Henderson v. Shinseki, 562 U.S. 428 (2011). Unanimous decision in favor of war veteran client regarding veteran disability benefits.*

Appellate

  • Greenberg v. Lehocky, 81 F.4th 376 (3d Cir. 2023): Successfully represented Pennsylvania Supreme Court Disciplinary Board in obtaining dismissal for lack of standing of First Amendment and due process challenge to attorney antidiscrimination rule.
  • In Re: Zofran (Ondansetron) Products Liability Litigation, 57 F.4th 327 (1st Cir. 2023).  Secured affirmance of summary judgment in favor of client in multi-district product liability litigation involving more than 400 plaintiffs.
  • Glaxo Group Ltd. v. DRIT (Del. Supreme Court): In a landmark implied-covenant contractual case before the Delaware Supreme Court, won reversal of a jury verdict against GSK awarding $57 million in royalty payments.
  • Wendy Dolin v. Glaxosmithkline, 901 F.3d 803 (7th Cir. 2018).  Successfully represented drug manufacturer asserting federal preemption defense against failure to warn claim.*
  • Williams v. Gaye, No. 15-56880 (9th Cir. 2018).  Successfully defended copyright verdict in favor of Marvin Gaye’s heirs in copyright dispute.*
  • Pro-Football, Inc. v. Blackhorse et al., No. 15-1874 (4th Cir. 2017). Successfully represented the Washington Redskins in its appeal of the government's decision to cancel the Team's trademarks.*
  • AngioScore, Inc. v. TriReme Medical, LLC, Nos. 2016-1126 (Fed. Cir. 2016). Successfully overturned $20 million trial verdict against medical device manufacturer.*
  • MM Steel, L.P. v. JSW Steel (USA) Inc., 806 F.3d 835 (5th Cir. 2015). Overturned $156 million trial antitrust verdict against steel manufacturer.*
  • Price v. Philip Morris, Inc., 43 N.E.3d 53 (Ill. S. Ct. 2015). Successfully represented Philip Morris before the Illinois Supreme Court in an appeal from a $10 billion judgment concerning light cigarettes. The high Court held that the lower state court lacked authority to vacate its prior judgment and dismissed the case.*
  • SmithKline Beecham Corp. v. Abbott Laboratories, 740 F.3d 471 (9th Cir. 2013). Successfully represented GlaxoSmithKline in landmark case finding that the Equal Protection Clause bars peremptory challenges of jurors based on sexual orientation.*

*Representation occurred prior to Lisa’s return to Williams & Connolly.

Education

Clerkships

Recognitions

“Litigator of the Year,” The American Lawyer, 2021

"Appellate Litigator of the Year," Benchmark Litigation, 2024

“Star Individual” in Appellate Law (Nationwide), Chambers USA, 2021-2023

"Appellate Law (Nationwide)," Chambers USA, 2010-2023

"Intellectual Property: Appellate (Nationwide)," Chambers USA, 2023

"Top 200 Lawyers in the U.S." (Appellate), Forbes, 2024

"National Practice Area Star" in Appellate, Benchmark Litigation, 2020-2024

“Local Litigation Star” in Appellate, Benchmark Litigation, 2013, 2018, 2020-2024

Awarded "Impact Case Award” for Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith, Benchmark Litigation, 2024

Inducted into "Hall of Fame" for Appellate Law, The Legal 500, 2017, 2020-2023

“Top 10 Women in Litigation,” Benchmark Litigation, 2020-2023

“The Most Powerful Women in Washington,” Washingtonian magazine, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023

“Appellate Law MVP,” Law360, 2013, 2019-2020, 2023

Rex Lee Advocacy Award, presented by J. Reuben Clark Law Society Mid-Atlantic Chapter, 2018

"Practitioner of the Year (Appellate), Managing IP, 2021

"Notable Practitioner," Managing IP, 2022

“500 Leading Litigators in America,” Lawdragon, 2023-2024

“500 Leading Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2012-2024

“Washington, D.C. Trailblazer,” The National Law Journal, 2020

Recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America ® for Appellate Law, 2011-2021

“Top 250 Women in Litigation,” Benchmark Litigation, 2018-2022

"Top Lawyer Hall of Fame," Washingtonian magazine, 2022

"Washington's Top Lawyers” in the category of Supreme Court, Washingtonian magazine, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017-2018, 2020

“Life Science Star,” LMG Life Sciences, 2016-2023

“Leading Lawyer” in Dispute Resolution: Supreme Court and Appellate, The Legal 500, 2017-2019

Gould Award for Outstanding Oral Advocacy, Office of the Appellate Defender, 2018

Edmund Randolph Award for Excellence in Oral Advocacy ("Silver Tongue Award"), William & Mary Law School, 2022

Appellate: Courts of Appeals, The Legal 500, 2017-2018

“Litigation Trailblazer,” The National Law Journal, 2017

“Leading Lawyer” in Litigation: Supreme Court and Appellate, The Legal 500, 2012-2017

“Sports MVP,” Law360, 2017

“Outstanding Women Lawyers,” The National Law Journal, 2015

“Litigators of the Week,” The American Lawyer, (Nov. 2015, Jan. 2014)

“100 Most Influential Lawyers,” The National Law Journal, 2011

“Visionaries” in Washington, D.C., The National Law Journal, 2011

Featured in “Working Mothers of the Year,” Working Mother magazine, 2011

“Appellate Lawyer of the Week,” The National Law Journal, 2010

Admissions

Other Government Service

Assistant to the Solicitor General, US Department of Justice

Assistant General Counsel, US Department of Energy

Special Assistant to the General Counsel, US Department of Energy

back to top