Jurist in Residence
- JD, 2000, Harvard University
- AB, 1997, Cornell University
Areas of Expertise
Judge Lee teaches Separation of Powers.
Professional Experience
Judge Lee was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by President Trump and was confirmed by the United States Senate in 2019, making him the nation’s first Article III judge born in the Republic of Korea. Prior to his appointment, he was a partner at the law firm of Jenner & Block in Los Angeles, where he handled a wide variety of complex litigation matters and had a steady pro bono practice. Judge Lee has served as Associate Counsel to President George W. Bush and as Special Counsel to Senator Arlen Specter, then-chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He started his legal career as an associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz in New York, and served as a law clerk for Judge Emilio M. Garza of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Honors and Affiliations
Prior to being confirmed as a federal judge, he was named as one of the "Most Influential Minority Attorneys" by the Los Angeles Business Journal and one of the "Top 20 under 40 Lawyers" by the Daily Journal.