James C. Duff

{{short description|American museum CEO, public servant}} {{BLP sources|date=August 2018}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = James C. Duff | office = Interim Dean of the<br>University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law | image = James C. Duff, AO Director.png | term_start = July 1, 2025 | birth_date = 1953 | education = University of Kentucky (BA)<br>University of Edinburgh<br>Georgetown University (JD) | profession = Attorney, administrator | office1 = Director of Administrative Office of the United States Courts | term_start1 = January 5, 2015 | term_end1 = December 31, 2020 | preceded1 = John D. Bates | succeeded1 = Roslynn R. Mauskopf | term_start2 = July 2006 | term_end2 = September 15, 2011 | preceded2 = Leonidas Ralph Mecham | succeeded2 = Thomas F. Hogan | preceded = Paul Salamanca (acting) }} '''James C. Duff''' (born 1953) is the executive director of the Supreme Court Historical Society and interim dean of the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://supremecourthistory.org/|title=Supreme Court Historical Society | Court History, Publications, Educational Resources|website=Supreme Court Historical Society}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=James Duff named interim dean of the J. David Rosenberg College of Law {{!}} Office of The Provost |url=https://provost.uky.edu/news/james-duff-named-interim-dean-j-david-rosenberg-college-law |access-date=2025-09-03 |website=provost.uky.edu}}</ref>

He previously served as director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO), from July 2006 to September 2011 and again from January 2015 to December 2020, each time being appointed by Chief Justice John Roberts.

==Education and early career== Duff graduated ''magna cum laude'' from the University of Kentucky Honors Program in 1975 with a degree in political science and philosophy, where he was Phi Beta Kappa. He also was a walk-on on the university's basketball team.<ref name="basketball">{{cite web|url=http://www.kentucky.com/2012/10/13/2370892/mark-story-ex-uk-basketball-walk.html|title=Ex-UK basketball walk-on Jim Duff has made a big mark in a different 'court'|accessdate=2014-03-04}}</ref>

After studying at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland in 1974, he returned to the U.S. in 1975 and worked for four years as an aide in the chambers of Chief Justice Warren E. Burger.<ref name="funeral">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/04/AR2005090401523.html|title=One Man's Unwavering Constitution|last=Davis|first=Marcia|date=September 5, 2005|newspaper=The Washington Post|pages=C1|accessdate=2008-05-08}}</ref> He graduated from Georgetown Law in 1981,<ref name="admin_assist">{{cite web|url=http://www.uscourts.gov/ttb/augttb96/duff.htm|title=New Administrative Assistant Begins Duties at Supreme Court|accessdate=2008-05-02|archive-date=2008-09-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080923235119/http://www.uscourts.gov/ttb/augttb96/duff.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> then worked at the law firm Clifford and Warnke, where in 1990 he became a partner.

In 1991, a large contingent of Clifford and Warnke lawyers and staff, including Duff, merged with the firm of Howrey and Simon,<ref>Walsh, Sharon (December 1991). "Warnke, Others Leave Clark Clifford Law Firm." ''The Washington Post''. C1. [http://www.proquest.com/ ProQuest]. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.</ref> where he practiced antitrust, commercial litigation, and international trade until 1996.

==Legal and political career== From 1996 to 2000, Duff was Chief Justice William Rehnquist's Administrative Assistant, now called "Counselor to the Chief Justice,"<ref name="admin_assist" /> serving as his liaison with the other branches of government and as executive director of the Judicial Fellows Commission. He preceded Sally Rider as the Chief Justice's chief of staff,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uscourts.gov/ttb/aug00ttb/newasst.html|title=New Administrative Assistant at Supreme Court|accessdate=2008-05-02|archive-date=2008-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924024936/http://www.uscourts.gov/ttb/aug00ttb/newasst.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> in which Duff assisted Rehnquist in his roles as chair of the Judicial Conference of the United States and the Federal Judicial Center Board. He also served as counselor to the Chief Justice as presiding officer of the U.S. Senate's 1999 presidential impeachment trial.

From 2000 to 2006, Duff served as the managing partner of the Washington office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, which was opened by former Majority Leader Howard Baker Jr.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bakerdonelson.com/News.aspx?NodeID=196&NewsID=137 |title=Chief Justice Roberts Appoints Jim Duff of Baker Donelson to U.S. Courts Director Position |date=2006-05-12 |work=www.BakerDonelson.com |accessdate=2008-05-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061026165722/http://www.bakerdonelson.com/News.aspx?NodeID=196&NewsID=137 |archivedate=October 26, 2006 }}</ref><ref>"Noted ...." ''Wall Street Journal''. April 25, 2006: B11. [http://www.proquest.com/ ProQuest]. Retrieved on 2008-05-08.</ref> There he represented the Federal Judges Association before Congress<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fja.fed.egovapps.com/egov/apps/egov/connect.egov?path=printable&id=24|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710133804/http://fja.fed.egovapps.com/egov/apps/egov/connect.egov?path=printable&id=24|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 10, 2012|title=Federal Judges Association Newsletter|date=November 30, 2004|accessdate=2008-05-06}}</ref> as well as the Freedom Forum.{{Citation needed|date=May 2008}}. He also represented the University of Kentucky's federal government interests in Washington and at the request of NCAA President Myles Brand, in 2006 he authored an overview and report to the NCAA on its rules and procedures. Duff has taught constitutional law at Georgetown University as an adjunct professor. He was named the Peter Mullen Professor of Law at Georgetown University for the fall of 2014 and previously served as the first lecturer of the Giles Seminar at Georgetown for two years.

In September 2005, Duff was a pallbearer at Rehnquist's funeral,<ref name="funeral" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05250/566885.stm|title=Rehnquist lies in state|last=McGough|first=Michael|date=September 7, 2005|work=Post Gazette|accessdate=2008-05-08}}</ref> alongside seven of Rehnquist's former law clerks. Duff authored a tribute to Chief Justice Rehnquist in the November 2005 edition of the ''Harvard Law Review'' <ref name="In Memoriam: William H. Rehnquist">Duff, James C. 2005. "In Memoriam: William H. Rehnquist." Harvard Law Review, volume 119, issue 1, p. 16-19 [https://web.archive.org/web/20120312045225/http://hlr.rubystudio.com/media/pdf/rehnquist_tribute.pdf#page=16(PDF)]</ref> and spoke at the unveiling ceremony for the William H. Rehnquist bust in the great hall of the Supreme Court in December 2009.

In April 2006, Duff was appointed director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts by Chief Justice John Roberts.<ref name="press_release">Arberg, Kathy (April 2006). Press Release. [https://www.supremecourt.gov/publicinfo/press/pr_04-20-06.html (HTML)]. Retrieved on 2008-05-08</ref> As director, Duff was the secretary of the Judicial Conference of the United States and a member of the board of the Federal Judicial Center.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Press Releases - pr_01-05-21 - Supreme Court of the United States |url=https://www.supremecourt.gov/publicinfo/press/pressreleases/pr_01-05-21 |access-date=2021-01-14 |website=www.supremecourt.gov}}</ref> On May 31, 2011, Duff announced that he would be stepping down on September 15 to assume the position of CEO at the Freedom Forum.<ref name="press_release_2011">{{cite web |date=May 31, 2011 |title=Administrative Office Head, Jim Duff, Announces Resignation |url=http://www.uscourts.gov/news/NewsView/11-05-31/Administrative_Office_Head_Jim_Duff_Announces_Resignation.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805153138/http://www.uscourts.gov/News/NewsView/11-05-31/Administrative_Office_Head_Jim_Duff_Announces_Resignation.aspx |archive-date=August 5, 2011 |accessdate=July 8, 2011 |work=United States Courts}}</ref>

He was appointed to the Georgetown Law Center's Board of Visitors in 2014 and serves on the boards of Freedom House, the Supreme Court Historical Society and the University of Kentucky Arts & Sciences Advisory Board. He was named to the University of Kentucky Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 2012 and was given the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Law Achievement Award in 2012. Duff was elected to the membership at the American Law Institute in 2016.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

On November 4, 2014, it was announced by Chief Justice Roberts that Duff would once again become director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, effective January 1, 2015. He succeeded director Judge John D. Bates.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://news.uscourts.gov/james-c-duff-return-ao-director-january-2015 | title=James C. Duff to Return as AO Director in January 2015 | publisher=uscourts.gov | date=4 November 2014 | accessdate=18 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.supremecourt.gov/publicinfo/press/pressreleases/pr_11-04-14 | title=Press Release | publisher=Supreme Court of the United States | date=4 November 2014 | accessdate=18 November 2014}}</ref> He retired on December 31, 2020.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=AO Director Announcement |date=January 5, 2021 |publisher=Supreme Court of the United States |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://www.supremecourt.gov/publicinfo/press/pressreleases/pr_01-05-21 |access-date=January 8, 2021}}</ref>

==Personal life== Duff and his wife, Kathleen Gallagher Duff, live in Bethesda, Maryland, and have three children.<ref name="press_release" />

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== {{commons category}} *[http://www.fellows.supremecourt.gov/ The Supreme Court Fellows Program] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801120156/http://www.fellows.supremecourt.gov/ |date=2013-08-01 }} *[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3163-2005Feb6.html Serving in the Chief Justice's Shadow] (Information about Sally Rider) *{{C-SPAN|82564}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duff, James C.}} Category:American lawyers Category:Living people Category:People from Bethesda, Maryland Category:Georgetown University Law Center alumni Category:University of Kentucky alumni Category:1953 births Category:People associated with Baker Donelson