Bonus 5: First Argument Surprises

This week's "One First" bonus content asks a dozen SCOTUS advocates what surprised them the most about their first argument

I had originally planned to use this week’s bonus content to share some of my own reflections on what it’s like to argue before the Court (one of these days, I might even win one).

But Karen had the good sense to suggest that it would be more interesting to ask other people to share their reflections. To that end, I asked a bunch of friends and colleagues who have argued before the Court (some once and some dozens of times) the following question:

• What surprised you the most the first time that you argued before the Court?

I’m grateful to the 12 colleagues who took the time to respond. What follows are their answers, grouped (mostly) thematically. I’m providing their current affiliations for identification purposes only.