WHAT THE SUPREME COURT CONTENDERS WOULD BRING TO THE COURT

ELENA KAGAN, 49

Born in NYC. Harvard Law; clerked for Justice Thurgood Marshall; Williams & Connolly; Harvard Law dean. Solicitor general since 2009.

Experience managing Harvard egos may help her sway justices. Has expertise in administrative and First Amendment law.

For many, being compared with Supreme Court Justice David Souter would seem like a compliment. But for Solicitor General Elena Kagan, the comparison could spell trouble on the right and the left if she is nominated to replace Justice John Paul Stevens.

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MERRICK GARLAND, 57

JENNIFER GRANHOLM, 51

HAROLD KOH, 55

Born in Chicago; Harvard Law School; Arnold & Porter partner in Washington. Principal associate deputy attorney general. D.C. Circuit judge since 1997.

Born in Canada, U.S. citizen since 1980. Harvard Law School; clerked for 6th Circuit Judge Damon Keith; Michigan attorney general; governor since 2003.

Born in Boston to Korean immigrants; Harvard Law School; clerked for Justice Blackmun; Yale Law dean; State Department legal adviser since 2009.

Considered a rigorous, highly intelligent lawyer. Moderately conservative in general. Very conservative on criminal issues.
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First foreign-born justice since Frankfurter. Brings political savvy to Court full of former appeals judges. Already named in S.C. case, 2005's Granholm v. Heald.
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Only nonjudge on the bench. First Asian-American on high court. Human rights advocate; expert on international, foreign law.
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MARTHA MINOW, 55

JANET NAPOLITANO, 52

LEAH WARD SEARS, 54

Born in Illinois; Yale Law School; law professor at Harvard since 1981, dean since 2009. Vice chair, Legal Services Corp. board of directors.

Born in New York City; U. of Virginia law school; lawyer at Lewis and Roca; Arizona AG, governor and U.S. attorney. Since 2009, Homeland Security secretary.

Born in Germany; Emory law school; Alston & Bird; Georgia traffic court judge; chief justice of Georgia Supreme Court. Partner, Schiff Hardin in Atlanta.

Only nonjudge on the bench. Wide interests and experience: international human rights, mass tort litigation. Viewed as compassionate scholar.
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Only nonjudge on the bench. Strong elective-political experience. National security and immigration expertise. Argued before Court in 2002.
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Would be first African-American female justice. Considers herself "a moderate with a progressive streak." Known for her persuasiveness.
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SIDNEY THOMAS, 56

ELIZABETH WARREN, 60

DIANE WOOD, 59

Born in Montana; U. of Montana lawschool. Private practitioner in Billings; judge on9th Circuit since 1995. Married to lawyer Martha Sheehy.

Born in Oklahoma; Rutgers Law-Newark; solo lawyer; Harvard Law School professor. Chair of congressional oversight panel on TARP funds since 2008.

Born in New Jersey; University of Texas law school. Clerked for Justice Blackmun, worked at DOJ, Covington & Burling. Judge on 7th Circuit since 1995.

Only non-Ivy Leaguer on Court. First bearded justice since Scalia sported one in 1996. Collegial; friends compare him to Stevens.
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Only nonjudge on bench. Deep knowledge of banking, finance, bankruptcy. Described as advocate for middle-class families and consumers.
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Expertise in economics, antitrust. Non-Ivy Leaguer, Texan. Only Protestant. Allies say she respects precedent, facts, not activist.
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