Harriet Miers Fast Facts
CNN Editorial Research
Here is a look at the life of Harriet Miers, former nominee to the US Supreme Court.
Personal
Birth date: August 10, 1945
Birth place: Dallas, Texas
Birth name: Harriet Ellan Miers
Father: Harris Miers, real estate investor
Mother: Sally Miers, homemaker
Education: Southern Methodist University, B.S., 1967; Southern Methodist University, J.D., 1970
Religion: Evangelical Christian
Other Facts
Practices antitrust, general civil litigation and trade law.
At the time of her nomination, President George W. Bush called Miers “a pit bull in size 6 shoes.”
Timeline
1970-1972 – Law clerk to US District Judge for the Northern District of Texas, Joe E. Estes.
1972-1978 – Associate at Locke Purnell Rain Harrell (formerly Locke, Purnell, Boren, Laney & Neely PC) – the first woman hired by the firm.
1978-1999 – Is the first female partner at Locke Purnell Rain Harrell.
1985 – Miers is the first woman to become president of the Dallas Bar Association.
1989 – Serves as an at-large member on the Dallas City Council.
1992-1993 – Miers is the first woman elected Texas State Bar president.
1994 – Serves as general counsel for Governor-elect Bush’s transition team.
1995-2000 – Chairwoman of the Texas Lottery Commission.
1996-1999 – Elected president of Locke Purnell Rain Harrell.
1998 – Named #1 of the Top 50 Most Influential Lawyers by the National Law Journal.
1999 – Co-Managing Partner at Locke, Liddell, & Sapp L.L.P.
2001-2003 – Bush’s assistant and staff secretary.
February 2005 – Bush names Miers as counsel to the president.
October 3, 2005 – Bush names Miers to be Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s replacement on the Supreme Court.
October 27, 2005 – Miers asks Bush to withdraw her Supreme Court nomination, stating that she was “concerned that the confirmation process presents a burden for the White House and its staff and it is not in the best interest of the country.” The White House says Miers had to withdraw over concerns that senators wanted documents of privileged discussions between the president and his top lawyer.
January 2007 – Receives the Department of Justice Edmund J. Randolph Award for her “dedicated service to justice, the president and the United States of America.”
January 4, 2007 – Resigns as counsel to the president.
May 2007-present – Litigation and public policy lawyer at Locke Lord in Dallas and Washington, DC.
June 13, 2007 – The House Judiciary Committee subpoenas Miers to appear before the committee on July 12, 2007, to discuss what she knows about the controversial firing of eight US attorneys in 2006.
July 11, 2007 – Bush orders Miers not to appear before the House Judiciary Committee.
July 31, 2008 – Judge John Bates rules that Miers must honor a Congressional subpoena.
June 2009 – Testifies before the House Judiciary Committee on the role Karl Rove played in the firing of US Attorney David Iglesias of New Mexico.
2021 – Receives the Texas Bar Foundation’s Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer Award, which was the first award established by the organization and recognizes exemplary attorneys with 50 years of practice.
January 1, 2022 – Miers assumes the role of Chair of the Texas Access to Justice Commission.
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