Ted Olson’s contributions to the legal profession and to the Federalist Society are unparalleled. His accomplishments over the course of an amazingly rich and wide-ranging legal career are manifest and awe-inspiring: brilliantly effective and successful both as a trial lawyer and in the appellate courts, sagacious and insightful as a counselor and advisor to Presidents, would-be Presidents, and innumerable other clients. Ted was a truly superb advocate at every level of the judicial system, whether conducting a cross-examination of a hostile witness or arguing the case of the century before the Supreme Court. His resonant voice would fill the courtroom and make it seem unreasonable -- even a bit ridiculous -- to disagree with him; he had an unfailingly accurate intuitive sense of the most compelling way to frame even the most complex legal arguments; and he was unexcelled in his ability to cut through extraneous complexities to focus his audience on the core of the issue, always in a manner calculated to persuade. But beyond all of that, Ted was one of the most generous, warm, and gracious people I have been privileged to work with. The mentoring, guidance, and assistance he provided over the course of his career to countless conservative lawyers and colleagues has had an immense impact on the development of the profession and the success of the Society, and will continue to do so for decades to come. We will not soon see his equal. Ted Olson will be greatly missed.

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