Susan Estrich

Susan Estrich is an American lawyer, legal scholar, author, political strategist, and commentator known for her contributions to law, gender equality, and American politics. Estrich was elected the first female president of the Harvard Law Review, competing against Merrick Garland. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Wellesley College and earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School. After completing her degree, Estrich clerked for prominent jurists before entering academia. She became the youngest woman granted tenure at Harvard Law School and later joined the University of Southern California Gould School of Law faculty, where she teaches courses on criminal law, gender discrimination, and law and politics.

Estrich has authored eight books, including "Real Rape: How the Legal System Victimizes Women Who Say No," which is widely used in law schools as a foundational text on rape law. Drawing on her personal experience as a survivor, Estrich has influenced the legal system's approach to sexual violence and played a role in eliminating the corroboration requirement in rape prosecutions in Washington, D.C. She is a founding board member of the Victims Rights Law Center in Boston and has focused much of her scholarly work on victims' rights and criminal justice reform.

In politics, Estrich served as campaign manager for Michael Dukakis' presidential run, becoming the first female campaign manager of a major presidential campaign in the modern era. She also held roles as deputy national issues director for Edward F. Kennedy's presidential campaign, senior policy advisor to Walter F. Mondale, executive director of the Democratic National Committee, special counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee, and special assistant to Senator Edward F. Kennedy. Her books "Getting Away with Murder: How Politics is Destroying the Criminal Justice System," "Sex and Power," "The Case for Hillary Clinton," and "Soulless: Ann Coulter and the Right-Wing Church of Hate" address topics in criminal justice, gender, and political analysis.

Estrich has been an equity partner at Quinn Emanuel and Boies Schiller and appeared on national television networks including ABC, NBC, and Fox News for nearly 30 years. Her commentary has been featured in newspapers such as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. Estrich has addressed legal matters, women's issues, national politics, and social issues through her academic, legal, and media work. She has represented major corporations and high-profile individuals and held an endowed chair at USC. Estrich's career reflects a combination of academic rigor, political experience, and media expertise in law, gender, and American democracy.