O'Melveny 2022 Class Notes

34 O’Melveny & Myers LLP I omm.com In Memoriam WALTER DELLINGER III (CLASS OF 1966) O’Melveny Partner Walter Dellinger passed away on February 16, 2022, at the age of 80. To say Walter was a “living legend” does not begin to capture the greatness of his intellect, heart, and spirit. In both government service and private practice, Walter’s commitment to social justice and equality was unmatched. He was a giant in the law—as a practitioner, a scholar, a counselor, and a statesman—and his legal accomplishments will endure for generations. For those who did not know him or experience the joy of working with him, Walter was a preeminent Supreme Court and appellate lawyer and a Partner with O’Melveny for more than 20 years. He served as Assistant Attorney General and head of the Office of Legal Counsel under the Clinton Administration. He was acting Solicitor General during the Supreme Court’s 1996-1997 Term. During that time, Walter argued nine cases before the Court, the most by any Solicitor General in more than two decades. He was also a Duke law professor (and Dean) and a constitutional scholar. He was named one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America by the National Law Journal and recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from The American Lawyer. Walter lived a wonderful and extraordinary life. Walter was enormously generous and caring—he loved helping others succeed. There is a remarkably long list of lawyers in academia, in government, in business, at law firms, at nonprofits, and on the bench who Walter helped to find their place. As he mentored scores of young lawyers—including many of America’s great jurists—he also took the time to weigh in on many of the most pressing issues facing our society. Many will recall Walter’s pivotal role as the author of the amicus brief in Hollingsworth v. Perry, which cleared the way for marriage equality in California and eventually worldwide. Read more about Walter’s passing here and here.

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