Paper chaser: how a young, self-employed lawyer became the best Supreme Court litigator in Washington

Washington Monthly, July-August, 2004 by Tony Mauro

Even after 11 arguments, Goldstein thinks he still has some distance to go before he truly establishes his bonafides with the court. "The most respected lawyers there have taken years to build up their credibility to the point where when they talk, the justices believe what they are saying."

A few more years of seasoning will also help cure another obstacle he faces: his youth, compared to most Supreme Court veterans. "It's the only thing that makes me happy that I am getting older," he says with a grin. "It gives me some measure of gravitas."

Tony Mauro is the Supreme Court correspondent for Legal Times and American Lawyer Media. He has covered the court for 25 years.