Barbara Underwood facts for kids

Barbara Dale Underwood (born August 16, 1944) is an American lawyer. She currently serves as the Solicitor General of New York. This means she is a top lawyer who represents the state government in important court cases.

She was first chosen for this role in 2007 by Andrew Cuomo. He was the state's Attorney General at the time. Later, in 2011, she was reappointed by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

In 2018, Barbara Underwood briefly became the Attorney General of New York. This happened when Eric Schneiderman resigned. She was the first woman ever to serve as Attorney General of New York. She decided not to run for the position in the election. After Letitia James became the new Attorney General, Underwood returned to her role as Solicitor General in 2019.

Early Life and Education

Barbara Underwood was born in Evansville, Indiana. Her parents were Dr. Robert Underwood and Mildred Kinstein Underwood. She grew up in Belleville, New Jersey. She is the oldest of three sisters.

She went to Radcliffe College at Harvard University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1966. She then studied law at Georgetown University Law Center. She received her law degree in 1969. While in college, she also worked as a news editor at a radio station.

Legal Career Highlights

After finishing law school, Barbara Underwood worked for important judges. She was a law clerk for Chief Judge David L. Bazelon. She also clerked for Justice Thurgood Marshall at the Supreme Court of the United States. A law clerk helps judges with their research and writing.

After her clerkships, Underwood became a law professor. She taught law for ten years at Yale Law School. She also taught at other law schools.

Later, she worked as a prosecutor in New York City. She was an Assistant District Attorney in different counties. A District Attorney's office works to bring criminals to justice. She also worked for the United States Attorney's office.

In 1998, she was appointed Principal Deputy Solicitor General of the United States. This means she was a top lawyer helping the U.S. government. She even served as the Acting Solicitor General of the United States for a few months in 2001. She was the first woman to hold this acting role.

Barbara Underwood has argued many important cases. She has presented 22 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. She has also argued many cases in other federal and state courts.

When she was the Acting Attorney General of New York in 2018, she took legal action against Donald Trump and his foundation. She successfully sued them for breaking rules. She returned to her role as Solicitor General in 2019. She said she was happy to go back to a job she enjoyed.

In recent years, she has continued to argue important cases. In 2020, she argued the case Trump v. New York. In 2021, she argued New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen. Both cases were before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Honors and Awards

In 2012, Barbara Underwood received an award for her professionalism. This award recognized her for guiding and mentoring other lawyers. In 2016, she was given an honorary membership in Phi Beta Kappa. This is a very respected academic honor society.

Family Life

Barbara Underwood has lived in New York City since 1982. She was married to Martin Halpern, who was a professor. He passed away in 2023. Barbara Underwood lives in Brooklyn. She has one son named Robert, who was born in 1986. She is Jewish.

See also

In Spanish: Barbara Underwood para niños

• List of Jewish American jurists
• List of law clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States (Seat 10)