Edward P. Lazarus is co-head of Akin Gump's firmwide litigation practice. His practice focuses on appellate litigation matters.
Mr. Lazarus received his B.A. summa cum laude in 1981 and his J.D. in 1987 from Yale University, where he was note editor of the Yale Law Journal. After receiving his law degree, he served as a law clerk to the honorable William A. Norris on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit and thereafter to Associate Justice Harry A. Blackmun on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Since finishing his clerkships, Mr. Lazarus has divided his time between law practice, writing and teaching. In private practice, he has focused on appellate litigation, handling matters ranging from complex tax, antitrust and administrative law to intellectual property, constitutional law and federal Indian law. Since joining Akin Gump, his diverse roster of clients has ranged from Fortune 50 companies to a national labor union and the California State Assembly. Previously, Mr. Lazarus served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, where he was a member of the Criminal Appeals Section.
Mr. Lazarus is the author of two highly acclaimed books: Black Hills/White Justice: The Sioux Nation Versus the United States, 1775 to the Present and Closed Chambers: The Rise, Fall, and Future of the Modern Supreme Court. His writing has also appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, U.S. News & World Report, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and The Chicago Tribune.
Mr. Lazarus was the recipient of a fellowship to Yale Law School and named the first Harry A. Blackmun fellow at the Aspen Institute. In addition to frequent lecturing, he has taught federal Indian law at the University of California, Davis, and constitutional law at the Cardozo School of Law and Loyola Law School. Mr. Lazarus also serves on several boards of directors, including the board of directors of Public Counsel, the nation’s largest public interest law firm.
Mr. Lazarus is a member of the California and Pennsylvania Bars. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America (2006).
Mr. Lazarus serves on the firmwide management committee.