U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Receives Henry J. Friendly Medal
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland received the Henry J. Friendly Medal at The American Law Institute’s 2022 Annual Meeting. The Honorable Raymond J. Lohier Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit presented the award at ALI’s Annual Dinner on Tuesday, May 17.
Judge Lohier praised Attorney General Garland’s generosity and long service to the administration of justice when presenting the award. In his acceptance of the award, Attorney General Garland reflected on his time as Judge Friendly’s law clerk, and how he has carried lessons learned at that time throughout his career. He also addressed the recent tragedy in Buffalo, N.Y., and reiterated the Department of Justice’s dedication to conducting a thorough and expeditious investigation.
Established in memory of Judge Henry J. Friendly, who served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit for more than 26 years, the Medal recognizes contributions to the law in the tradition of Judge Friendly and the Institute and is not limited to ALI members or those associated with its projects. The Friendly Medal is not awarded every year but only as appropriate.
“We are delighted that Attorney General Garland will receive the Friendly Medal this year,” said David F. Levi, President of The American Law Institute. “Attorney General Garland clerked for Judge Friendly, so it is not surprising that over his long career he has exemplified those qualities of Judge Friendly that this award was created to celebrate: brilliance, judiciousness, careful analysis, scholarship, reasoned application, tireless energy, and keen wit. Attorney General Garland has had a long and distinguished career on and off the bench, during which he has worked diligently to support the rule of law. I am so pleased that ALI’s Awards Committee, chaired by Judge Lohier, decided to honor him and his legacy at this year’s Annual Meeting.”
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland was sworn in as the 86th Attorney General of the United States on March 11, 2021. As the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Garland leads the Justice Department’s 115,000 employees, who work across the United States and in more than 50 countries worldwide. Under his leadership, the Department of Justice is dedicated to upholding the rule of law, keeping our country safe, and protecting the civil rights of all Americans.
Immediately preceding his confirmation as Attorney General, Attorney General Garland was a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He was appointed to that position in 1997, served as Chief Judge of the Circuit from 2013-2, and served as Chair of the Executive Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States from 2017-20. In 2016, President Obama nominated him for the position of Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Before becoming a federal judge, Attorney General Garland spent a substantial part of his professional life at the Department of Justice. He served in both career and non-career positions under five Attorneys General, including as Special Assistant to the Attorney General, Assistant United States Attorney, Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division, and Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General. In those roles, his responsibilities spanned the work of the Department, including criminal, civil, and national security matters. They also included direct supervision of investigations and prosecutions of national importance, including the Oklahoma City bombing, Unabomber, and Montana Freemen cases.
Earlier in his career, Attorney General Garland was a partner in the law firm of Arnold & Porter, where his practice involved civil and criminal litigation, antitrust, and administrative law. He also taught antitrust at Harvard Law School and published law review articles on both antitrust and administrative law.
Attorney General Garland graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College and magna cum laude from Harvard Law School. Following law school, he clerked for Judge Henry J. Friendly of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and for Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., of the United States Supreme Court. He was elected to The American Law Institute in 1998.
