Former U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson, a preeminent conservative attorney known for representing two Republican presidents and advocating for same-sex marriage, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 84. His death was announced by the law firm Gibson Dunn, where he had practiced since 1965, although no specific cause was provided.
Over his distinguished career, Olson gained notoriety for his involvement in significant legal battles, including a pivotal case involving the 2000 presidential election. He successfully argued for George W. Bush in the Supreme Court regarding the contentious Florida vote recount.
Olson’s legal prowess extended to 65 cases presented before the U.S. Supreme Court, as reported by Gibson Dunn. Among his most notable cases, he took an unexpected stance in favor of same-sex marriage following California’s 2008 ban on it. Teaming up with David Boies, his former opponent who represented Al Gore in the election case, Olson sought to defend the marriage rights of California couples.
In 2010, a federal judge ruled that California’s ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld this decision in 2013. Reflecting on his role in the case, Olson described it as his “most important” work, highlighting its impact on countless individuals across the country and around the world.
Ted Olson held the position of Solicitor General from 2001 to 2004 after being appointed by President Bush. Prior to this role, he served as an assistant attorney general during President Ronald Reagan’s first term in the early 1980s. His remarkable career earned him great respect, with Mitch McConnell, the longtime Senate Republican leader, acknowledging Olson as “a prolific litigator” and a “good and decent man.”
Gibson Dunn’s managing partner, Barbara Becker, praised Olson as a “creative, principled, and fearless” figure, stating, “Ted was a titan of the legal profession and one of the most extraordinary and eloquent advocates of our time.”
