Who is Jonathan Mitchell? The conservative lawyer arguing for Trump at Supreme Court

Jonathan Mitchell, a well-known conservative lawyer, led arguments on behalf of Donald Trump at the Supreme Court on 8 February – as the former president seeks to convince the nation’s highest court to strike down a ruling that has kicked him offColorado’s presidential primary ballot.

Mr Mitchell, 47, is a law professor, legal theorist and the former solicitor general of Texas known for finding loopholes to aggressively litigate in favour of his clients – often with conservative agendas.

He has submitted more than 20 amicus briefs to the Supreme Court, notably advocating for overturning Roe v Wade and urging them to declare affirmative action as unlawful. He’s also argued five cases before the justices.

But Mr Mitchell is most well-known for helping develop Texas’s strict anti-abortion law, SB 8. Specifically, he devised the “novel enforcement mechanism” that enables private citizens to bring private lawsuits against those who violate the statute rather than against government officials.

Now, Mr Mitchell is tasked with defending the former president against challenges to his ballot eligibility in Colorado.

In December, the Colorado Supreme Court removed Mr Trump from its primary ballot due to his alleged involvement in the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

On 8 February, the Supreme Court justices heard oral arguments in the case of Trump v Anderson.

Mr Mitchell, a University of Chicago Law School graduate, argued on behalf of Mr Trump saying the former president was not involved in an insurrection and that, even if he was, the state does not have the authority to remove him – only Congress can.

The conservative lawyer is known for his intelligence and quick-thinking in finding ways to litigate for his clients. He told