About Walter E. Dellinger
Walter E. Dellinger III was a distinguished constitutional lawyer and scholar who made significant contributions to American law and public service. Born on May 15, 1941, in Charlotte, North Carolina, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1963. He then graduated with honors from Yale Law School in 1966, where he served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal. After law school, Dellinger clerked for Supreme Court Justice Hugo L. Black during the 1968-69 term. In 1969, Dellinger joined the faculty at Duke University School of Law, where he taught for over four decades.
He became the Douglas B. Maggs Professor Emeritus of Law and served as acting dean from 1976 to 1978. His tenure at Duke was marked by his dedication to legal education and his mentorship of numerous students who went on to prominent legal careers. He retired from teaching in 2007 but remained active in legal scholarship and public service. During the Clinton administration, Dellinger held prominent positions in the U.S. Department of Justice. In 1993, he was appointed Assistant Attorney General and head of the Office of Legal Counsel, serving as the department's principal legal advisor to the Attorney General and the President.
In 1996, he was appointed acting Solicitor General, arguing nine cases before the Supreme Court during the 1996-97 term. These cases addressed significant constitutional issues, including physician-assisted suicide, the line-item veto, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Dellinger's legal expertise extended beyond academia and government service. He was a partner at O'Melveny & Myers LLP, where he argued numerous Supreme Court cases and authored influential amicus briefs. Notably, he played a pivotal role in the case of Hollingsworth v. Perry, contributing to the advancement of marriage equality in California. His scholarly work appeared in esteemed publications such as the Harvard Law Review, Yale Law Journal, and Duke Law Journal.
Throughout his career, Dellinger received numerous accolades recognizing his contributions to the legal profession. He was named one of America's 100 most influential lawyers by the National Law Journal and received a lifetime achievement award from The American Lawyer. In 2010, he was inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest honor bestowed by the governor of North Carolina. Walter E. Dellinger III passed away on February 16, 2022, at the age of 80. He is survived by his sons, Hampton Dellinger and Andrew Dellinger, and his daughter-in-law, Jolynn Dellinger. His legacy continues to inspire legal scholars, practitioners, and public servants committed to justice and the rule of law.
