Amy Saharia focuses her practice on appellate litigation. She represents corporate and individual clients in high-stakes appeals in the U.S. Supreme Court and federal and state appellate courts. She has argued twice in the U.S. Supreme Court. She has represented clients in every federal court of appeals and has argued in a majority of the federal courts of appeals. Amy’s appellate matters have involved a broad range of subject matters, including intellectual property, criminal law, product liability, preemption, civil procedure, and administrative law. Amy clerked for Justice Sonia Sotomayor on the U.S. Supreme Court from 2010 to 2011. Amy’s appellate practice has been nationally recognized. In 2024, Forbes named Amy to its inaugural list of “Top 200 Lawyers in the U.S.” Amy has also been recognized in the appellate field as a “Next Generation Partner” by The Legal 500, as well as a "Litigation Star" by Benchmark Litigation. Amy also advises clients on legal strategy in trial-level proceedings. Clients frequently call on Amy to help position cases in trial courts for a future appeal. Amy has served as appellate counsel at multiple federal jury trials, where she has argued dispositive, pre-trial, and evidentiary motions, all with an eye to developing the record for appeal. Amy has significant experience in the area of criminal law, and frequently represents criminal defendants both at trial and on appeal, including most recently on conspiracy, wire fraud, health care fraud, false statements, and bribery charges. Amy focuses her pro bono practice on criminal law and immigration law. Amy has represented criminal defendants and noncitizens in matters before the U.S. Supreme Court, federal courts of appeals, and the Board of Immigration Appeals. Amy also advises FAMM on amicus strategy related to federal sentencing law. Amy grew up in Maine and graduated with honors from The Johns Hopkins University in 1999. Between college and law school, she was a Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. Department of State. Amy graduated summa cum laude from Duke University School of Law in 2005. Before joining Williams & Connolly in 2007, Amy clerked for Judge Jon O. Newman on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Judge Robert N. Chatigny on the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. Amy rejoined Williams & Connolly in 2012 following her clerkship on the U.S. Supreme Court. Amy is a member of the Edward Coke Appellate Inn of Court. She is a member of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Representative ExperienceThough all cases vary and none is predictive, Amy’s experience includes:
- Argued Dupree v. Younger, presenting the question whether legal issues decided at the summary-judgment stage must be raised in post-trial motions, in the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Argued Sanchez v. Mayorkas, presenting the question whether eligible recipients of Temporary Protected Status may adjust to lawful-permanent-resident status, in the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Secured holding in favor of Jack Daniel’s Properties, Inc. in the U.S. Supreme Court that when a defendant uses a trademark as a designation of source for its own goods or services, it is not entitled to First Amendment protection from infringement liability under the Lanham Act.
- Secured holding in favor of Romag Fasteners in the U.S. Supreme Court rejecting a willfulness requirement to obtain awards of infringers’ profits in trademark-infringement cases under the Lanham Act.
- Secured affirmance of summary judgment in favor of GlaxoSmithKline in the First Circuit in multi-district product liability litigation involving more than 400 plaintiffs.
- Successfully argued an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, obtaining reversal of an order denying disgorgement of profits under the Lanham Act.
- Secured affirmance of judgment as a matter of law in favor of firm clients in a fraud case in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
- Successfully argued an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, obtaining reversal of an order increasing a damages judgment against a tax-services provider.
- Successfully argued an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, obtaining vacatur of an attorneys’ fee award under the Copyright Act.
- Successfully argued an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, obtaining affirmance of the district court’s dismissal of a putative class action lawsuit alleging breach of contract and deceptive trade practices.
- Successfully argued an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, overturning the district court’s ruling that a preemption claim was not ripe for adjudication.
- Secured ruling in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit overturning a nearly $400 million jury verdict against a global financial institution arising from a nationwide fraud perpetrated by the bank’s predecessor’s customer.
Recognitions"Litigation Star," Benchmark Litigation, 2025 "Top 200 Lawyers in the U.S." (Appellate), Forbes, 2024 "Appellate Law (Nationwide)," Chambers USA, 2024 “Next Generation Partner,” in the category of Appellate Law, The Legal 500, 2021-2024 "Future Star," Benchmark Litigation, 2023-2024 Other Government ServiceForeign Service Officer, United States Department of State, 1999-2002 |
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