Carin Clauss

Carin Ann Clauss was born on January 24, 1939, in Knoxville, Tennessee.[1] She attended Vassar College, graduating in 1960 with a Bachelor of Arts. Three years later, Clauss graduated from Columbia Law School as one of six women in her class.[2]

Following law school, Clauss worked at the United States Department of Labor in the Office of the Solicitor,[2] joining the department in August 1963.[1] During her tenure, she served as Deputy Counsel of Appellate Litigation in 1968 and 1969 and co-chaired the Labor Committee of the Federal Bar Association in 1968 and 1972.[1] She also worked to develop the department's litigation strategy for enforcing the Equal Pay Act of 1963.[2]

On February 24, 1977, President Carter announced his nomination of Clauss to serve as the Solicitor of the Department of Labor.[1] She was confirmed the same year, becoming the first female solicitor of the Department of Labor.[2][3] She served in that position until 1981.[3]

In 1978, while she was still at the Department of Labor, President Carter nominated Clauss to be a United States District Judge for the District of Columbia.[4] However, she declined to be considered a second time after her original nomination stalled due to Congress adjourning before considering her nomination.[5][6]

After leaving the Department of Labor, Clauss taught at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, specializing in labor and employment law.[3] She holds the Nathan P. Feinsinger Chair in Labor Law at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.[3]

• Jimmy Carter judicial appointment controversies