Former Biden and Senate Counsel to Lead Progressive Legal Group

The New York Times published an exclusive feature and Q&A with incoming ACS President Phil Brest, a former senior White House counsel in the Biden administration who played an instrumental role in winning confirmation of 235 federal judges in the Biden era, topping the total from President Trump’s first term by a single judge.

During the interview, Brest shared his vision for ACS, how he thinks a progressive organization can influence the judiciary in a time of all-Republican rule and whether the Senate tradition of giving home-state senators veto power over state-level nominees should be preserved.

"ACS as an organization both needs to meet the moment and to prepare for the future. Meeting the moment really comes down to supporting and defending principles, institutions and people. By principles, I mean the rule of law. I mean democracy. By institutions, I mean the judiciary, civil society. And by people, it’s lawyers who challenge government overreach, and it’s also judges who are grappling with really, really complex issues, trying to get the right answer. And doing so in the face of enormous public and political pressures.," Brest said