Biden Turns to Ivy League for Lawyers as Policy Battles Loom

Among the many traditions of official Washington restored in President Joe Biden’s White House is its age-old reputation as a magnet for lawyers.

More than half of Biden‘s senior staff of more than 50 have law degrees, even though most are in roles without a legal focus, according to a Bloomberg Law analysis of White House appointments as of Inauguration Day. They come from top-rated law schools—12 from Yale Law alone—and their experiences lean heavily toward many years in Washington with little in the private sector.

The collective resumes highlight Biden’s intention to reinstate old-school policymaking amid a global ...