Paul Clement

About

Paul Clement is an American appellate lawyer and founding partner of Clement & Murphy, PLLC, where his practice focuses on Supreme Court, appellate, and strategic litigation. He previously served as the 43rd Solicitor General of the United States and held senior positions in the U.S. Department of Justice. Clement also serves as a Distinguished Lecturer in Law and Government at Georgetown University and as a Senior Fellow at Georgetown Law's Supreme Court Institute. He has argued more than 100 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and has experience in constitutional litigation, appellate advocacy, and strategic legal counseling. Quick Facts about Paul Clement: Field Details Full Name Paul D. Clement Current Position Partner / Founding Partner Current Company Clement & Murphy, PLLC Current Focus Supreme Court and appellate litigation Former Leadership Role 43rd Solicitor General of the United States Former Board Role Independent Director, Coinbase Global, Inc. Previous Companies Kirkland & Ellis; Bancroft; King & Spalding Government Experience U.S. Department of Justice; U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Academic Role Distinguished Lecturer in Law and Government, Georgetown University University Georgetown University Undergraduate Degree B.S.F.S. in International Economics Graduate Degree M.Phil. in Politics and Economics of Development, Darwin College, Cambridge Law Degree J.D., Harvard Law School Legal Education Distinction Harvard Law School, magna cum laude Major Professional Experience U.S. Supreme Court advocacy and federal appellate litigation Career Overview of Paul Clement: Paul Clement began his legal career through federal judicial clerkships before entering private practice at Kirkland & Ellis and later joining King & Spalding, where he headed the appellate practice. He moved to the U.S. Department of Justice in 2001, serving as Principal Deputy Solicitor General, Acting Solicitor General, and later Solicitor General from 2005 to 2008. He subsequently returned to private practice at King & Spalding, Bancroft and Kirkland & Ellis before co-founding Clement & Murphy in 2022. He also developed a long-running academic role at Georgetown University. Career Timeline: Year Career Development 1999 Became a partner at King & Spalding and headed the firm's appellate practice. 2001 Joined the U.S. Department of Justice as Principal Deputy Solicitor General. 2004 Became Acting Solicitor General after Theodore Olson's departure. 2005 Became the 43rd Solicitor General of the United States. 2008 Left the Department of Justice after completing his term as Solicitor General. 2009 Returned to King & Spalding as a partner in appellate litigation. 2011 Joined Bancroft, PLLC as a partner. 2016 Joined Kirkland & Ellis as a partner. 2022 Co-founded Clement & Murphy, PLLC and became a partner at the firm. 2024 Joined Coinbase Global, Inc. as an independent director in July. 2025 Received the Marshall-Wythe Medallion from William & Mary Law School and was recognized by Chambers as a Star Individual in Appellate Law. 2026 In April, notified Coinbase that he would not stand for re-election. His Coinbase board term ended in June 2026.

Experience

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  Board of Directors

  Coinbase

  Board of Directors

Awards

• Chambers & Partners Star IndividualRecognized as a Star Individual for Appellate Law in the USA by Chambers & Partners.
• Marshall-Wythe MedallionReceived the Marshall-Wythe Medallion from William & Mary Law School.
• Hon. Edwin Meese III AwardReceived the Hon. Edwin Meese III Award from the Republican National Lawyers Association.
• 100 Most Influential Lawyers in AmericaNamed among the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America by the National Law Journal.
• Lawyer of the YearNamed Lawyer of the Year by the Bar Association of the District of Columbia.

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