Arlen Specter Remembered for Legal Role

There are many interesting facets to the life of former Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, who died Sunday at the age of 82, but most publications have focused on his central role in the legal arena as a member and then as leader of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The New York Times article notes how Specter – commonly described as a moderate or centrist – irked conservatives by opposing the Supreme Court nomination of Robert Bork and liberals by his aggressive questioning of Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas hearings.

Specter had a diverse legal career. He worked on the Warren Commission investigating the JFK assassination, where he reportedly contributed to the development of the single-bullet theory, then served as Philadelphia’s Attorney General. He is the father of Shanin Specter (pictured, left) of Kline & Specter, a member of the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America. Specter has followed in his father’s footsteps in distinguishing himself as a lawyer, though on the plaintiffs' side, with more than 100 verdicts in excess of $1M.