Alan Gura is an American litigator practicing in the areas of civil litigation, appellate litigation, and civil rights law at Gura P.L.L.C.[1] Gura successfully argued two landmark constitutional cases before the United States Supreme Court involving firearms, District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago.

Alan Gura
Alan Gura waist up in a suit
EducationCornell University (BA)
Georgetown University (JD)

Early life and education edit

Gura was born in Israel and settled in Los Angeles, California with his family when he was seven years old.[2] Gura received his BA from Cornell University in 1992 and received his JD from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1995.[3]

Career edit

Prior to founding Gura & Possessky, PLLC, Gura began his career by serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Terrence W. Boyle, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Subsequently, as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of California, Gura defended the State of California and its employees in state and federal courts. Thereafter, Gura entered the private practice of law with the Washington, D.C. offices of Sidley & Austin. In February 2000, he left the firm to serve for a year as Counsel to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Criminal Justice Oversight.

Gura is admitted as an active member in good standing in the District of Columbia Bar, the Virginia State Bar, and the State Bar of California. He is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and numerous United States Courts of Appeals and District Courts.

On July 13, 2009 Legal Times named Gura to the list of “40 Under 40” of Washington D.C.’s rising legal stars.[4]

On March 22, 2013, the National Law Journal named Mr. Gura one of "The 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America."[5]

On June 6, 2016 he argued for the plaintiff, Defense Distributed, in court against the United States State Department in Defense Distributed v. U.S. Dept. of State.[6]

In February 2021, he was named Vice President for Litigation of the Institute for Free Speech.[7]

Personal life edit

Gura works at the aforementioned Gura P.L.L.C. and lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

References edit

  1. ^ Nick Gillespe; Dan Hayes. "Alan Gura: The High Stakes of the DC Gun Ban Case". Reason.tv. Retrieved June 9, 2008.
  2. ^ Richard Greenberg (July 2, 2008). "Sticking to his guns: Local attorney argues landmark court case". Washington Jewish Week. Archived from the original on August 11, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
  3. ^ "Alan Gura". fedsoc.org. October 5, 2017. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  4. ^ "Legal Times Names "40 under 40," Washington's Rising Legal Stars". Legal Times. July 13, 2009. Retrieved July 25, 2009.
  5. ^ "National Law Journal, The 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America". Legal Times. March 22, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
  6. ^ "Defense Distributed v. U.S. Dep't of State | Cato Institute".
  7. ^ "Alan Gura Joins Institute for Free Speech as Vice President for Litigation". February 16, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2021.

External links edit